Sunday 5 February 2017

TODAY by Andrew Webber @mrandrewwebber

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

  
How I discovered this book:  I read the author's second book, Lad, discovered via an Amazon browse, and liked it so much I downloaded this novella, too.  *99p or free on Kindle Unlimited*

Today takes place (mostly) on one day, Dec 5 2014, and is about three Londoners ~ John, Laura and Charlie.  John is living in squalid circumstances while he saves up every penny for his glorious future.  Country girl Laura detests living in the City but is determined to stick it out for another year before going home.  Charlie, who I see as the forerunner to the brilliantly portrayed Danny in Lad, is a vain, superficial ladies' man.

The story nips back and forth between the characters as the day moves on to its grim climax, and is like a 'life in the day of' each one as we explore their hopes, dreams, history and current state of mind.  The event at the end of the day has a massive effect on all three.  In the aftermath, a couple of weeks later, I thought that Charlie's story was a little too unlikely and clear cut, but Laura's was happy, sweet and what I would have wanted for her, and John's was absolutely heartbreaking, so well written. 

It's a story with a heavy moral message, and an important one.  The book could do with another edit and a better proofread, but, hey, it's a first book (his second is superior in style, content and presentation), and I enjoyed it enough to read most of it in one sitting and feel reluctant when I had to put it down.  I like the way Mr Webber writes very much, and look forward to more books by him.  



 

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