My Temporary Life [Kindle Edition]

Martin Crosbie's book, MY TEMPORARY LIFE, is a sensitive, coming of age novel with a storyline that held me captive. The novel is filled with emotion--humor, joy, heartache, grief. It deals with the loneliness of children who have lost and the agony of their adjustment. It deals with the lives of adults who have been abused as children.

It is the story of Malcolm, an adolescent who lived in Scotland with his parents until his mother returned to her roots in Canada, leaving her husband and son behind in Scotland. After his parent's divorce, Malcolm began what he called a "temporary life," spending his summers in Vancouver with his sometime mother and her men, returning to live with his father in Scotland during the school year. He leads this disjointed life without many friends until an unfortunate display of his own loyalty changes the direction of his life. With the help of a father-figure and other friends in Canada, he grows up, prospers, falls in and out of relationships, finally meets the girl of his dreams. It is at this point that the story surprises. The action, never slow, picks up a notch or two, and the rest of the story is a harrowing ride to the end.

For me it was an engrossing work of literary fiction. I loved the scenes of Malcolm and his friend, Hardly, growing up in Scotland, loved his surrogate father, George, and George's sister, Rose, and how the author painted those characters. I really, really liked the author's understated prose and I loved the opening:

"I think I first smelled booze on Gerald when we were eleven, and as far as I know he's been drinking ever since."

There were moments of magic, scenes filled with foreboding, passages that were poetic and ruminative, others that were breathtaking. The masterful handling of Malcolm's mother, especially in "the car wash scene," was brilliant. There were many scenes, especially toward the end, that were fast-paced and made the book impossible to put down. It is a book you will not want to miss.

About the Author: Martin Crosbie always wrote stories. As his adventures and misadventures took him from Kilmarnock, Scotland, to Vancouver, Canada, he recorded his memories in a series of journals. Today, he's turning those journals into novels.

You can keep up to date on his newest adventures and read his opinions on everything from Punk Rock to how he's training for his next marathon on his website, [...]

When not writing, or running long distances, Martin shares his life in Vancouver, with his partner, Jacquelyne, and Spock, the most spoiled cat in the world.

MY TEMPORARY LIFE
Copyright © 2011 Martin Crosbie
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B006O2P13O

The title of the novel was so intriguing, I could not wait to read this story. My Temporary Life is a novel one thinks fondly of for a long time after reading. The characters are very real and endearing, so much that it was sad to come to the end of the story...I did not want to leave them behind! The pace of the story is excellent, we learn exactly what we need to with details that convey much in a few words. The plot is interesting and contains quite a few surprises. As someone who (attempts to) write myself, I have a special appreciation of the quality of this work, especially for a debut novel. Martin Crosbie has created a heartwarming, wonderful experience for the reader, and his talent is evident from the very first paragraph.

Wow! Absolutely one of the best books I have read in a very long time. I started reading and could not stop. Malcolm is one amazing character. He reached into my heart and touched my soul. What an amazing journey. I have to say that I have not read a book that took me on such an emotional ride in many years. I just finished the book a few minutes ago and I am still reeling. I am typically a romance/fantasy reader but this is definately going on my favorite books list. Martin Crosbie will be on my watch list for authors to buy in the future. All I can say is this was an incredible story to read.