Murray sets her second novel at
Rockfarm, a residential recording studio in Wales, echoing her own childhood at
Rockfield Studios. Our protagonist, Halo, is just five at the opening and we
see her grow into a young woman with a family of her own by the end. The
residents of Rockfarm are an eccentric bunch - Nana Lew with her potions and
wall of deceased rock stars' photos, Ivan and Dolly whose love is intense even
after years of marriage, and Halo's siblings; Vince a cross dressing devotee of
David Bowie, and her younger sister Molly, headstrong and maturing at a much
faster rate than Halo. They are a close family who enjoy telling each other
stories of big family events such as births and the falling in love of their
parents. There is a sadness hanging over them however as there was another
brother, Robert, who tragically died during a game of hide-and-seek. When an
American band, Tequila, leave a newborn, Fred, at the farm, Dolly takes him in
eagerly as though he can fill the gap.
Halo has felt a connection to
him since the moment she touched his mother's pregnant belly, and it does not
weaken over the years. He insists on sharing her bed and continues to call her
Lo Lo when he is more than old enough to pronounce 'Halo'. In time, he proves
himself capable of cruelty, knowing Halo loves him and kissing her before
throwing up the barriers of their brother-sister relationship once more.
It is an interesting relationship in which Halo seems to have very little
power. The parallels Murray draw with Wuthering Heights are a little
heavy handed albeit relevant. Halo is not the only one devoted to Fred and as
he becomes a successful rock star the family are forced to wait for his return,
talking about him to distract from their worries. The precedence he is given
when he does return infuriates Molly.
This is a love story but also a
coming of age tale. We see Halo move to London but she cannot escape the lure
of home and runs back when given half the chance. She struggles to move on from
her feelings for Fred and passes over the opportunity to be happy with
another.
An intense story of love and
loss that will keep you guessing for most of the book. It questions what
constitutes family and how much people are willing to sacrifice for success. It
also raises the question of what success means and examines the different forms
it can take as the Llewellyn siblings try to forge an identity and slice of
happiness for themselves. It took me a little while to get into but by midway I
was entirely entranced.
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