Just finished another Australian novel, Shane Maloney's
BRUSH-OFF. The plot involves a political advisor to a newly
appointed arts minister, and the uncovering of an art fraud
conspiracy. Maloney write with a cynical journalist's witty
irreverence that is about as common as cow pies in a field.
In the first part of the book his exposition of the
Australian political situation is closely tied to the plot,
but towards the end he seems to lose focus and allows his
observations to diverge into the extraneous. His tempo
founders too, notably in one scene concerning the repair of a
damaged picture that goes on for over 20 pages.
I think there is much to like about Maloney, but political
intrigue doesn't excite me and I couldn't dredge up a lot of
enthusiasm for his wit, the plot, or the characters.
miker
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