An Instance of the Fingerpost Reviews

I didn't enjoy reading this book.

But oddly once I put it down and thought about it I realised I was savouring how neatly the biblical references fit together, the different perspectives of the same events are like Gospels, the messianic figure is obvious but you've also got allusions to Peter (Wood's thrice denial of the Blundy girl), St. John the Baptist prophesying the betrayal and execution, Mary and Joseph and of course the crucifixion itself.

Without giving anymore away the point is the cleverness of this book only really comes through once you've finished it. It's like The Usual Suspects, suddenly it all makes sense. Except without the great performances and slick editing.

Basically it's vaguely disappointing and at times you feel like skipping to the end of each section just to get on with it but some how weirdly it sits in your memory like a smug and self satisfied toad of knowing cleverness.

I wouldn't say don't read it but if you want to read something set in that era that takes on the challenges of the changing religious and political situation in Europe and how it effected the common man then you should instead read Q by the Italian anarchists writing under the pseudenym of Luther Blisset - it's incomparably better, both more thrilling and more visceral and does more to illuminate the age than this 17th Century espiode of Inspector Morse could ever hope to.