Rachel Reviews: Gabriel's Moon by William Boyd

You may not know this but William Boyd is one of my favourite writers. I have never picked up a Boyd book and been disappointed. I think this is because he is an excellent storyteller and for me, that is the singular most important thing about a novel. It needs to transport me, immerse me, make me believe and it needs to be done with the smoothness of royal icing: devoid of bumps and marks and with a shiny glaze and a sweet taste.

This book was everything that I love about Boyd and more. It starts off with an exchange of words between a mother and a son at bedtime and we learn where the title of the book comes from as Gabriel's moon is a nightlight that he has to have next to his bed in order to sleep. Later that night, Gabriel's world changes completely when his family home is burnt to the ground and its cause and the mystery surrounding it is returned to again and again in the book.

Gabriel is a young man and has had some success as a writer with travel books, this being his niche. However, when he is asked to interview Lumumba, the prime minister of the Congo, he is thrown into a world of which he was blissfully ignorant, although he may have already been a cog in its machine prior, used by others for espionage.

It's good. Gabriel is a likeable character and you can sense his bewilderment at the circumstances in which he finds himself; however, he is no idiot and so, we are subject to the musings of his mind as he tries to figure out if and how he is being played.

Boyd is brilliant at ekeing out his story with the right amount of pace and situations and dialogue. I was gripped throughout, fearing for Gabriel but feeling like he's had a fair amount of luck on his side, despite tragedy striking and hoping that he will be able to outfox those around him.

It's not just about skulduggery: there's romance and insomnia and family and political discussion too, creating a book that is full and satisfying.

I cannot recommend his books enough. They are stimulating, entertaining, wonderfully written - as smooth as silk to read and amongst the best fiction I have ever read.

Rachel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars