Book Review: A Week in December

A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks

Switching effortlessly between stories Faulk's bestseller is captivating and quick-witted. Another great train time read because of it's short chapters and constant action it made a great addition to my handbag this week. What's great about the multiple stories is that there's always someone that you can identify with and empathise with, almost as if you're catching up with a friend every couple of days- your lawyer buddy, the ex-classmate, your 2nd cousin the hedge fund manager.

As a Londoner myself i absolutely loved the constant references to icons, transport and issues in the city. The story of Jenny, the tube driver, and her battle with the courts against the family whose son threw himself upon her train in a suicidal bid was fascinating. The psychological marks left on her from the incident and the process she had to go through to carry on with her life have given me a peak at the human consequences of the trains i wait for as they are delayed on the London underground everyday. I think this story alone would have been a significant tale.

I really enjoyed Faulk's writing; i'm usually a fan of heavy action and cliffhangers, which there were few of in the novel but it didn't matter so much. Although there was little suspense, because you become emotionally invested in the characters you feel driven to continue to read. The novel served as a good break from the heart pounding blood pumping over excitement i usually get from my crime faves (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), although i'm not so sure that i'd have been interested if it hadn't pulled on my London heartstrings so much.