Giant's Bread

This was the second novel by Mary Westmacott that I've read; you can check out the review for Unfinished Portrait here.

The Premise

Vernon Deyre is a sensitive and brilliant musician, even a genius. However, his sheltered childhood in the home he loves didn't prepare him to his life as an adult and to the difficult choices that he will have to make to create his great masterpiece. He will learn that there is a high price to be paid for his talent and that sacrifices have to be made in order to be successful.

My thoughts

The book focuses on Vernon but also on the lives of a small group of characters that help us see Vernon from different perspectives. I have to say, neither of them was particularly interesting; they came across as almost one dimensional and I couldn't shake the feeling that what we saw from them was all we were going go get. 

I'll admit, my expectations regarding this book were low; Unfinished Portrait had proven to be a disappointment and I thought that probably this one would have the same fate. Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. Even though I wasn't as invested in this book as I usually am, there were enough elements to spark my interest in the novel. The ending was, by far, my favorite part because it really took me by surprise – it was completely unexpected!

I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, especially if you're used to Agatha Christie's style as a mystery/crime writer but if you're thinking about trying something from Mary Westmacott then I would suggest starting with this one.

3 out of 5 stars