Can If Nobody Speaks Of Remarkable Things by as good as Reservoir 13? I find out
Remarkable Things – the blurb
On a street in a town in the North of England, ordinary people are going through the motions of their everyday existence – street cricket, barbecues, painting windows… A young man is in love with a neighbor who does not even know his name. An old couple make their way up to the nearby bus stop. But then a terrible event shatters the quiet of the early summer evening. That this remarkable and horrific event is only poignant to those who saw it, not even meriting a mention on the local news, means that those who witness it will be altered for ever.
He’s got style
I loved Reservoir 13 for the unique way it was written. Remarkable Things is very similar in that the writing ambles along with very little foothold for you to grab hold on to. Yet if you concentrate it’s like finding buried treasure. McGregor glides over the street effortlessly taking in many characters yet focusing in on the minute detail. I would read a whole book just of his descriptions yet there are numerous little mysteries lying just underneath the surface and of course, the event.
It’s suspenseful and a proper page turner without ever detracting from the minute. The opening section describing the city sleeping is practically poetry. The nature observations, even in the depth of the city, are beautiful. As for the title – is it the big things, the secrets or the little things that are truly remarkable?
There is no denying McGregor has a very distinct style, it may put some off but I totally love it and totally loved Remarkable Things.
