Growing Pains: The Wake of Expectations Volume 2 (Digest Edition)

Funnily enough, although not quite as much happens in this second instalment of the Calvin McShane trilogy as in the first outing, I actually preferred and genuinely quite enjoyed it.  This is a pure comical literary fiction saga, which seems to be about little more than young people wanting to do what young people do – but that’s great because, as already established, Javier de Lucia is a cracking writer, and I’m slowly becoming a fan (as he maybe confidently intimated that I would).  I feel the characters are more likeable and relatable this time around – perhaps that is because they’re that little bit older now – even though some of their behaviour is quite a bit more boisterous than previously.  Some of the humour in this book really does hit the spot, such as belly-laugh moments like Chief Ralph and the misgendered ferret.  It is, for the most part, bawdy relationship/getting laid comedy, explored so extensively in American movies.  And I do like the lads and their banter, if some of the love interests can be a little irritating; you find yourself thinking, along with them: Don’t worry about it; there are plenty more fish in the sea.  It’s that type of fiction.

Be advised, it isn’t really a standalone read, although, that said, this is a “slice-of-life” series, so you don’t really see it taking any dramatic narrative curves or arcs.  It just is, and it’s fun.  However, there are strands left unresolved, and the book does end with those dreaded, immortal words: “To be continued…”  Yet, unusually, I didn’t mind that – although it is probably easier for me to say that having read the first book and knowing I will be reading the next.  If you want the best from this book, you’ll need to read the series in order – and I recommend that you do.  Javier has divided a long book into three and, to be quite frank, I think it’s much better that he did; I honestly cant see it working as a long novel, although it is available in that format too; if you’re planning to read the whole thing, I suppose it will probably save you a few bucks to buy one book rather than three.  But I actually like the way Javier has chosen to break it up, and feel too little of substance happens over too long a word count to read them together.  Interestingly, some of the more prominent elements of the first story – the lottery win and Solitaire – barely feature at all this time around, and I honestly didn’t miss them; they were simply of the time, and this is another time in Cal’s life.  However, that said, I suspect that the third book is going to carry straight on from the way this left off – although don’t quote me on that.  Quite honestly, it’s such an easy-going read, and pure recreational entertainment, it wouldn’t really matter too much if it doesn’t – although, I would like to follow the band’s career, and hope we get the chance to do so for longer.

This is good stuff by Javier, an improvement on the first part and promising to get better still in the third, which I’m looking forward to.

- Matt McAvoy Book Review