Another Lovely Review of "Waiting for Gordo"

A wonderful review.  A treasure.   Thank you so much Curtis Urness!   And thanks especially for finding it a good read - fun. That is what I wanted. 

And your review is a little work of art in itself.  I loved the "non-aggression treaty" for instance.

Curtis says:

When I first opened the pages of Waiting for Gordo, I was expecting a light-hearted vacation story, good for a few chuckles. While it certainly was that, the novel, like the mysterious island paradise that serves as its setting, turned out to be much more.

Miranda is on a diving holiday with her stalwart husband, Jim, and a group of expat British nationals (plus one American) at an Indian Ocean island resort. She is not there to explore the ocean deep with the others but to relax, enjoy the seclusion, and begin work on a novel. While she mines her friends’ gossip for story ideas, Miranda clearly prefers the company of her imaginary Hollywood alter-ego model for the heroine of her novel, Carmen Miranda, and Carmen’s equally imaginary suitor, Al Nino. Oh, and there’s also the Bathroom Cockroach, with whom she has negotiated a nonaggression treaty and who serves throughout the story as a winged objective correlative.

Just as every rose has its thorns, so does this island - plenty of them. It is called Small Island, but not only because it occupies a minute geographic space. There is some small terror lurking there that motivates the hired help to leave every evening rather than spend the night in its presence. Miranda senses it but cannot quite define its nature. Curious smells, such as sandalwood, permeate the air; curious creatures scuttle through the undergrowth. In the center of the atoll,  the palatial estate of the isle's owner, a wealthy Arab with a magical name, is surrounded by a magical name, is surrounded by a gated wall overgrown with thorns. Yes, there are literal thorns, which the island groundkeepers struggle to keep under control, and which pierce Miranda's tender skin. Meanwhile the weather is idyllic, and the diving is great.  Outside the periphery, a fierce storm rages, preventing Jim’s experienced diving partner, Gordo, and another group of tourists from arriving. Hence the title. Odd misfortunes start to befall the small group. The hired help and supplies become scarce.   Miranda knows she has some measure of protection, thanks to her pact with the Bathroom Cockroach, but inevitably she must come to terms with the malevolent force that threatens her existence.

As the action progresses, the narrative becomes even more fanciful and absurd. I am reminded of the writings of Polish-Argentinian author Witold Gombrowicz. A more contemporary comparison would be with the works of Neil Gaiman. Knight guides the reader along with reserved wit and irony. This is the most fun book I’ve read in a long time. If you’re looking to for an enjoyable read, you can’t go wrong by Waiting for Gordo.

https://www.goread.com/author/curtisurness/article/book-review-waiting-for-gordo-by-sue-knight/?fbclid=IwAR2p66PL5U2CE283wYtSKhvJGbOIc5JIWK0jk3tr1vEaIU7oVRnDELkp8Wo

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Yesterday - what on earth did I do?   Is it all lost in the mists of time (unlike our childhood picnics on the moors which have just come back to me so vividly - see previous blog.)   We shopped in the morning, dropped Jackie's shopping in - lunched -  veggie soup - and thanks again Nute and Pen fort the soup machine.

I visited Maggie - and then I went out with one of the young pioneer sisters. I am listening and learning a lot from her -and she is fun to work with.

And Curtis, should you be reading this, I am so happy that you read and enjoyed my book.  And that you took the time to review it.  Thanks again.