I really, really enjoyed this book!
To read of life in England as it was 60 years ago put back into perspective how much has changed already in this ‘short’ amount of time (in most western countries, that is).
It was heartbreaking to read how gay people were treated and looked upon, that it was even possible for them to be thrown into prison for simply existing.
Unfortunately, the demonisation of the LGBTQIA+ community is still a big part of our world and there’s so much people belonging to this community have to endure just because they have other interests romantically.
Regardless on where someone stands on the question whether or not loving the same gender is ok, or whether or not people who feel like they’re born the ‘wrong’ gender, it’s never ok to belittle or demonise them. It’s our duty as humans to treat each other with kindness and love.
Since I don’t want this post to become too much a discussion on morality etc, I’ll say this much: I hope we finally learn to listen to others and try to understand what is new to us without condemning these people.
And now for the review of the book: My Policeman had me grappling with so much! Big thoughts, little thoughts. Huge problems, tiny problems.
And since we have 3 people (2 perspectives) it doesn’t force your mind in one direction. We have three completely different viewpoints and positions which are all conveyed in such a wonderful way.
All three of our MC’s are flawed and their actions and mistaks feel so authentic which shows me that the author really spent some time with those characters.
I don’t like all of them the same and some of their words or actions are really bad. But I see where their hurt, frustration, worldview is coming from and I can empathise which, in turn, makes them very loveable.
It is a very slow book with little direct speech but in my opinion the author found the perfect way of telling the story by sometimes only touching on things and letting the reader fill in the blanks - as many reactions and/or relationship developments could be guessed at by what came before and what came after.
I really, really enjoyed this style of writing and I even liked the very open ending, as it just fits with the rest so very well.
Maybe I would have liked a little more drama towards the end but it could’ve also seemed very wrong and displaced, who knows.
This book will, for sure, keep me mulling over things for quite some time to come.
