charles barrow's writing

The Stolen Days of John Mann Chapter One ‘Dear Lord, thank you for the food before us, the fire in the grate, and the roof above our head. Please spare those we love and keep us safe from harm. Amen.’ John Mann opened his eyes and placed his hands in his lap as David and Helen repeated the blessing. The boy turned in his seat to face Mann. ‘You changed the words Father.’ He has his mother’s bright eyes, thought Mann. ‘David.’ This was a rebuke from his mother. ‘The boy is right.’ Said Mann. ‘Why’d you change them?’ Asked David. ‘Prayer doesn’t lose its aim because I change some words.’ ‘God still hears you?’ ‘Always. We should never be afraid of straying from familiar paths to find new ones, even when we’re told there is only one way forward.’ David looked puzzled, ‘But Mrs Ginty says…’ ‘That’s enough son, eat your supper.’ Helen levelled a firm look at Mann. ‘It’s best we don’t have talk that runs counter to David’s schooling.’ ‘Forg

Once in a while I read a book which has a big impact on me. It might be the storyline hits home, it may be that a specific character appeals hugely, or it could be all about the timing - it chimes with my current mood. I've just found such a book in The Wall by John Lanchester, (currently long listed for the Booker prize 2019). In this case, I really liked spending time with the characters, and I really enjoyed the tension and the humour in story; it was a gripping read that I kept returning to, to the exclusion of all else. But what I really admired was the craft of the novel, the writing itself. It is a slim book (274 pages), so a concise story. The writing is direct, sparse, no flowery description, and the narrative voice, of Kavanagh the main character, is clear and compulsive. It drives the plot forward relentlessly, as he slowly reveals the story to us. We only ever know what he tells us, and we root for him, and fear for him and those he cares for. Hats off to John Lanches