I was delighted this morning to discover a review of The Waves Burn Bright in the latest issue of Gutter (issue 15). I hadn’t had a chance to open my copy since getting back to Japan and had a flick through while taking a break from editing and was not only surprised but really quite moved by the review. Unfortunately it isn’t available online yet so I’ll give you a few choice extracts below. With thanks to Kes, whoever he or she may be (Gutter reviews are anonymous).
“Maloney’s awareness of the duty of care he has to all involved shows in his writing, which is never sensationalist and backed by rigorous research.”
“Problem drinking, while common in Scottish writing, has rarely been dealt with in such an evenhanded and non-reactionary manner. In fact, the way Maloney deals with all of these topics speaks of a writer who can not only understand and empathise with others, but who urges his readers to do likewise.”
“The Waves Burn Bright is Iain Maloney’s best book to date, not only an entertaining and thoughtful one, but, I would suggest, an important one… Maloney not only pays respect to the memory of that terrible event, he offers fresh insight into how individuals and their families and friends cope – or more often fail to cope – with trauma, and the humanity behind the headlines.”
Iain Maloney 