I have been looking forward to the release of Parallel
Lies by Georgia Rose for quite a while as I am such a fan of her previous work
– The Grayson Trilogy. All I can say by way of introduction is this deliciously
intriguing novel did not disappoint.
The beauty of Rose’s writing is that it is so
understated the action creeps up on the reader, almost like peeling an onion,
each layer revealing a new dimension to the novel. The story begins in the
village of Crowbridge where on the surface life passes at a gentle pace but
there are hints from the onset that things may not be as idyllic as they
superficially seem.
This is particularly personified by Rose’s
protagonist Madeleine Ross, a twenty four year old single woman. She has made friendships
in the village but no-one knows anything about her life before she relocated
from London four years earlier. It is Madeleine’s voice that Rose uses to tell
her story using first person narrative which is particularly effective.
Madeleine demonstrates strength and a knowing self-awareness that draws the
reader in immediately.
As the novel unfolds Madeleine’s secrets are
slowly revealed as are her insecurities and failings. She grew up with little
love or affection and is only able to express her needs through sex. This
results in her pursuing a promiscuous and potentially emotionally damaging
lifestyle. Despite the fact that she is intelligent and kind she doesn’t feel
good enough. She feels the strain of pretending to be a “lovely girl” in the
village but fears that if her new friends saw her life away from the village
they would no longer like her.
Madeleine is better than she thinks she is and her
relationships with the people in the village are a testament to this. In
Kourtney, a young working class girl, she sees some of herself and goes out of
her way to help her rise above her stagnating origins. She has a sisterly
relationship with her neighbour Diane, a wonderfully free spirited woman in her
60s who has earned the reputation of being a witch.
One of the themes of Parallel Lies is poverty and
the impact it has on children’s lives. Madeleine grew up in a one parent,
dysfunctional home in Inner City London. Her mother was unfit to care for her
which meant that Madeleine was left to her own devices and inevitably made bad
choices which have led to life-long scars. Rose emphasises however that poverty
is not just a big city problem and rural areas have their fair share too. In
Crowbridge we meet the ostentatiously wealthy couple Letitia and Ben Pritchard
but this is contrasted by Kourtney’s situation as she cares for her alcoholic
mother and younger siblings with limited opportunities in the rural village
where she was born.
Madeleine’s life changes when she meets Daniel Travers, the nephew of her boss. She is a security consultant for an insurance
company and it is when describing Madeleine’s work that Rose demonstrates her
skill at building the pace of the story to at times almost heart stopping
tension. Through Daniel, Rose creates a new voice and in the chapters that he
narrates she employs second person narrative which distinguishes it perfectly
from Madeleine’s voice.
Rose uses Madeleine and Daniel’s relationship to
explore the theme of trust. Madeleine has previously been unable to enjoy
emotional relationships with men as she didn’t know how. Although Rose offers
no censure of her protagonist’s life choices it’s obvious that her behaviour is
born out of an inability to trust. At the same time Daniel, who prior to
working for his uncle has led a feckless existence dropping out of university
and unable to hold down a job, has to learn to trust Madeleine to take control
of her own life without his interference.
Inevitably Madeleine’s past catches up with her
and threatens to put her and everyone she cares about in danger. Relying on her
innate intelligence she hatches a plan to free herself and keep everyone safe.
Despite a shady past, Madeleine is morally honest and has a good heart but she
has many hurdles to clear before she can be who she really wants to be.
One of the many things I like about Rose’s novels
is the care and attention she applies to her characters. There are no throwaway
characters and consequently the reader really cares about them all. Even the
less likeable characters such as Letitia and Tag are presented in such a way
that they elicit some sympathy for the insecurities and damage that is
propelling their actions. Each of the villagers piques our interest in such a
way that should she choose to Rose could tell each of their stories and I would
be only too happy to read them.
The lightness of Rose’s touch is the perfect foil
for the fact that Parallel Lies carries a serious, hard hitting message about
poverty and the impact it has on children. Vulnerable young people being
groomed and taken advantage of is a very relevant issue that Rose skilfully
taps into. The quote that ran through my mind constantly as I read it was “It
is easier to build strong children than repair broken men.” (Frederick
Douglass)
Parallel Lies is an intelligent, entertaining read
which I devoured greedily in a few days. If you are looking for a thriller with
a dark edge then I can’t recommend this novel highly enough.
