This book was very creative and this author opened my eyes to a whole new life. After reading Waiting in Vain I feel as though I know more about island life or more specifically Jamaican life. If I had a say, the man in the glasses on the cover would be the whole cover and not just because he looks awesome but because it reflects more of the story. In this lovely novel the author shows you how a wealthy Jamaican writer/artist named Fire, struggles with relationships with unavailable women. Its a love story but its much more with topics of class, race, family and drugs. In the beginning the story starts with Fire and Blanche a married woman who he has on and off sexual relationship. Fire wants a change and he goes to New York. In New York Fire hooks up with his childhood friend and a fellow artist Ian. Ian's is of the Islands as well and lives in usa strung out on drugs. Fire and Ian discuss there lives and their struggles with women. In New York is where you get swept off your feet by Fire and his dialog with Silvia. The whole relationship between Fire and Silvia is amazing and the author makes you want Fire that much more. Waiting in Vain also contains 2 side stories Ian and Margret. The reader is introduced to many characters and a different dialect and at times its a little confusing. The author also tends to switch point of views in the middle of a paragraph and it tends to cause motion sickness but I dont hold these things against the author because his story is beautifully expressed that i wouldn't mind reading it again. And I will look for more from this author.
A "Good Feel" Read,Like Pac-Man, I could not get enough, and was not let down from the 1st day to the very last words!The flavors, textures, sounds, smells, vibes conjured up in a way that only Colin can, were so vivid in the book. From the jagged edge of SoHo, to the streets & winding roads of Kingston,......... and everything in-between. This book explores relationships on many levels; romance, love, money, class, race, power, sex, inner-self. It's about living life for others, and living life for oneself. And finding your role in it.I'm sure many readers are taken to Fire, as was I. However, this book has many heroes. Diego for one! Sylvia especially, for another. Like I always say; "You can't score the touchdown sitting on the sidelines".If there is one person who reads this book and says "I can't relate", I'll show you a liar! My emotions ran from laughter, to fear, to excitement, to tears. Tears of joy & pain. (I think I got my money's worth)!
Do You like book Waiting In Vain: A Novel (2003)?
This book was so lyrical that I became irritated at times, with the luscious display of prose. And it was luscious. I didn't feel enough of the passion between the main love interests (their names have escaped me as I create this review.) Most of the characters weren't complex enough for me, and much of the plot was predictable. This would have been a much more interesting story about Ian and his love interests. The most complex characters, I was intrigued by his struggle to define himself as a man, beyond his art and the anger he felt at the people who'd helped paved his way to success. Ian's self loathing and violent tendencies is where the real story is, not within the romance. I'll add though that many an island girl, have used produce for um....well...read it.
—Izzy
I probably should've started with Colin Channer's more recent work. Everyone in this book is in the art world (think the cheesiness of Love Jones). Everyone is beautiful or has been at some point. Everyone has got drama. Now this could still make for a good book, but the characters did not seem real. There was no subtlety; Channer spoke a little too loudly through them. One passage I was particularly annoyed with (when Fire first meets Sylvia on the street):"He caught a flash of tongue, a bit of pink against her teeth. He liked her more now. She knew dalliance from harassment. Many women had lost that, had sacrificed good sense for politics."I just couldn't get in to it. But I will give Channer's work another try.
—Nina
