Safe Return Doubtful

This is the last one left of Joyce’s books for me, and I took it on not expecting it to be his best, but it does bare many of the hallmarks of his writing, and is perfectly enjoyable. I am a fan of his, and consider his brand of fantasy to mark him as one of the best in the genre, though the way he uses fantasy is usually understated.

Joyce writes particularly well about disturbed adolescents, though here it is an 11 year old girl he focuses on, rather than a similar aged boy, in possibly his best novel, [book:The Tooth Fairy|44601].

As a storm builds, so does the tension in a group of five adults and two children on a group vacation from England in the Dordogne. James and Sabine have a failing marriage, Chrissie and Matt are more content though still unstable. Rachel, single and working-class, is more friendly but unable to keep the peace. James’ and Sabine’s 7 year old daughter Beth seems normal, but their 11 year old Jessie suffers from a range of emotional and psychological issues as she approaches puberty.
Unbeknown to the rest of the family, Jessie is being ‘instructed’ in the ways of witchcraft by one of the older females in the group, the stormwatcher, though we don’t know who.

As with his other books, Joyce chooses not to delve deeply into the fantasy aspects, rather focusing on the group’s interactions. It won’t be what everyone would want, but for me, his style works well. Human sexuality is explored as with his other work, something that works particularly well for him when one of his key characters is an adolescent who is naturally curious about sex.

Another strength of Joyce’s writing is when writing about children. He rarely sketches them with angelic behaviour, neither does he portray them as small adults; often, as here, they are the centre of attention, who are unable to grasp the arguments of the adults, and are frequently disappointed by their actions, but far more prepared to accept inexplicable and fantastical things that the adults dismiss.

Not Joyce’s best, but well worth reading.

My GoodReads score 4 / 5