The Darlings by Angela Jackson
THE DARING NEW NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE EMERGENCE OF JUDY TAYLOR
When Mark Darling is fifteen years old, he is the golden boy, captain of the school football team, admired by all who know him. Until he kills his best friend in a freak accident.
He spends the next decade drifting between the therapy couch and dead-end pursuits. Then along comes Sadie. A mender by nature, she tries her best to fix him, and has enough energy to carry them both through the next few years.
One evening, Mark bumps into an old schoolfriend, Ruby. She saw the accident first hand. He is pulled towards her by a force stronger than logic: the universal need to reconcile one’s childhood wounds. This is his chance to, once again, feel the enveloping warmth of unconditional love. But can he leave behind the woman who rescued him from the pit of despair, the wife he loves? His unborn child?
This is a story about how childhood experience can profoundly impact how we behave as adults. It’s a story about betrayal, infidelity and how we often blinker ourselves to see a version of the truth that is more palatable to us.
About the author.
Angela Jackson is a former psychology lecturer and teacher trainer. Her debut novel The Emergence of Judy Taylor won the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s First Book Award and was Waterstones’ Scottish Book of the Year.
The Darlings is her second novel.
Originally from the north of England, she now lives with her family in Edinburgh.
Review.
‘The Darlings’ is unflinching look at life, love and basically who we are as humans. How we manage situations, the psychology and reasoning behind our actions. It doesn’t portray people in the best light but shows us them as real as possible. Everyone has made mistakes buts it how we deal with them that makes us human.
When Mark is 15 years old his ends up killing a school friend by swinging and losing control over a bat. This is his ‘pivotal’ moment in life where things take a dark turn and then when his parents die two years later he doesn’t emerge from his drinking and drug taking for years until he meets Sadie. Sadie has worked hard to ‘fix him’. He has a marketing job, has a side line of being a stand up comic and everything in life in good. Oh yeah and there is a baby on the way! Why then when he bumps into Ruby, an old school friend, does he embark on an affair?
I honestly thought I would hate Mark and yes he is weak and spineless but there are reasons behind his actions. They might not be good ones but they are real ones. But then I thought back at the situations my friend circles have found themselves in and gone huh cheating is more prevalent than you think. I have one old friend who has cheated on every boyfriend including her now husband. Another who had an emotional affair with their partner’s best friend. Drunken kisses and fumbles on nights out. Etc etc etc. What makes us human is how we err and how we come back from that.
I really love the character of Ava, Sadie’s younger sister. She was just spunky and full of life and dreams. Sadie’s whole family was great. I know how if feels to be adopted by an inlaw family and I think the author may be in the same situation as it felt very much like my experience!
The author has done an amazing job of creating ‘real’ characters and depicting life in general and it’s a testament to the power of her writing that I didn’t hate Mark! The narrative is sharp and punchy, and is very funny at times. Just like life!
Also, you have to love that cover!
