Pam, Sandra, Marie, Bernice etc., are the women in Jack Smith's life in various capacities. Jack's death opens the Pandora's Box for Pam, his guileless wife, and the ball of events is set rolling.
It is a 300 page, lightly treated, picnic read. The reaction of the women to the death of Jack, their lives after the tragedy almost on a daily basis have been painstakingly recorded. The language flows smoothly on. Style is good.
The reason why it took me almost a month to read are more than one. The writer does not get under the skin of Pam or the other women, and thus you cannot warm up to them. The characters have been portrayed with an objectivity that does not allow you to go any deeper than their clothes and makeup. Their faces and their inner self are unreadable from the descriptions. Their reaction to the death of the man in their life amazed me. His wife, girlfriend, mother were all paying undue attention to their clothes, make-up, decor and food as though it was not about Jack's death at all. The fact is that, the book is only about Jack's death. Perhaps the author was trying to take out some of the grimness of the subject by indulging the senses every now and then, but it only does the plot harm.
The reason why it took me almost a month to read are more than one. The writer does not get under the skin of Pam or the other women, and thus you cannot warm up to them. The characters have been portrayed with an objectivity that does not allow you to go any deeper than their clothes and makeup. Their faces and their inner self are unreadable from the descriptions. Their reaction to the death of the man in their life amazed me. His wife, girlfriend, mother were all paying undue attention to their clothes, make-up, decor and food as though it was not about Jack's death at all. The fact is that, the book is only about Jack's death. Perhaps the author was trying to take out some of the grimness of the subject by indulging the senses every now and then, but it only does the plot harm.
Almost three-fourth of the book had nothing going on, and suddenly the denouement tumbles down you. There was no suspense offered and so the climax brings no relief. The thread we are holding keeps breaking for the reason that the author is not sure where she is taking us. Too many blind alleys.
Pam of Babylon is the first of the series by Suzanne Jenkins, followed by Don't You Forget About Me, Dream Lover, Prayers for the Dying and Family Dynamics.
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