Neil Cross, Always the Sun

Neil Cross, Always the Sun: It would be difficult for any child to move to a new area and start a new school, but to do so after losing a mother is unimaginable. It's understandable therefore that Jamie's father Sam is distraught to discover that Jamie is being bullied. He resolves to do anything he can to stop this from happening but has no idea how difficult this can be and how easy it is to make everything worse. To use the cliches of heart rending and thought provoking does not do this book justice, it's shocking in a terrifyingly realistic, every day way.

Sam Green was born to lose. He goes through an agonizing time after the death of his wife Justine, a schoolteacher. As a qualified psychiatric nurse he is able to help others but not himself. He is unable to keep his son and in his dangerous endeavours to save him from corporal punishment he maneuvres them both into isolation.

I enjoyed reading the book although it is hardly bearable when it comes to the fatal turns of Sams decisions. The book is very sensitively written and Neil Cross as father of two sons knows what he is writing about.

Neil Cross, Always the Sun - It was hard to believe that the suffering father was supposed to be an excellent mental health nurse. He seemed incapable of proper communication with his son, his sister, his colleagues, the 'villain' of the piece, the police, the teacher - anyone at all. He seemed an empty man stuck in the past.

No one in the book had any emotional or spiritual resources. Lots of mention of drink, cigarettes, PS2 games, television programmes, fast food and pub culture. This didn't sit well with - again - this father's supposed level of education and knowledge of the human condition and suffering.

Disappointing. One for the charity shop. Worth a read but not worth buying to read. Borrow it.