★★★★★☆☆
Title: Delivering Virtue
Author: Brian Kindall
Genre: Fiction / Historical Fiction
First published: 2015
Edition: Paperback, published by Diving Boy Books
I was not sure what to expect from this book. The premise sounded interesting, so I was happy to give it a go. I am so glad that I did. The first thing that struck me was the tone of the writing. It is quite dry and witty and a few pages in I was pulled in by Didier Rain, the narrator.
Rain is charged with delivering the infant Virtue to the Prophet Nehi to be his bride and is given a strict set of rules to abide by. The generous reward is enough to make him take this most unlikely of charges on.
Didier’s observations of his own actions and those of others feel really lighthearted and refreshing and make for an entertaining read. Even when serious events are broached, like rape and murder, they are glossed over by Rain’s whimsical version of affairs. With his carnal urges and defying of the rules he has been given it is clear he is not exactly a good man and yet it is hard to dislike him. He tries so hard to be a good man, but the rogue inside him always seems to win out.
Then there is Virtue, the infant, the bride of the Prophet. For a character that does so little, she has such a big impact on those that encounter her, and on the reader. Her story is handled so well, without any fanfare. Her extraordinariness is mentioned in passing, but never dwelt on.
The book is not perfect, and I am sure its dry wit and at times too lighthearted a tone, may not be for everyone, but Delivering Virtue a cleverly written novel that I found very easy to read and enjoy.
5 out of 7 stars
Lola Et La Vie 