The Sacred Art Of Stealing
(Christopher Brookmyre)
Imagine a bank being robbed by a gang of dancing clowns; a hostage situation where those being held are entertained by the hostage-takers? paintings; where a robber is being tracked by a detective who is in love with him. All of these scenarios, and more, can be found in Christopher Brookmyre?s, The Sacred Art of Stealing. The true beauty of the author?s novels is that he can blend gritty, urban thrillers with an element of surrealism that draws the reader into an exciting world where the unexpected is the norm, where humour fills the pages and, yet, maintain a sense of realism to the story.
As in most of his novels, there is a savage beauty to the tale; Glasgow is a violent city and yet one full of interesting, vibrant characters. The villains are a mix of psychopathic thugs and gentlemen thieves; the police contains heroes and idiots. Prison has its evil predators and its noble characters. There is no stereotyping here, just a teeming world of believable characters.
The Sacred Art of Stealing moves at a rapid pace and is full of the twists one would expect of a Brookmyre novel. Where it particularly excels, and the reason this is my favourite of the author?s books, is that it excels in bringing the setting of the novel to life. In many of his novels, the true hero and the most developed character is the city of Glasgow. Here, that is especially so. This is no rose-tinted view of Scotland?s biggest city. Glasgow is a violent town, with more than its fair share of poverty and crime; its sociological problems overlain with the city?s own particular brand of religious sectarianism. However, it is also a city the author loves and one which, in this increasingly homogenised world, has its own distinct character, making it quite unlike anywhere else in the world.
For those familiar with the author, The Sacred Art of Stealing is a must-read - a wonderful novel showing Brookmyre?s talent at its finest. For readers new to Brookmyre, a read of this book will have you tracking down Brookmyre?s other novels at your local bookshop.
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