The Late Train to Gypsy Hill

Alan Johnson, who was a Labour MP for 20 years has written a novel titled as above and see left. 

The novel is easy to read both as regards the storyline and in the hardback version at least, the print.

The author clearly knows Russia and Russians. 

However, so many of the names that he ascribes to his characters,  are in Russian, that I could not easily distinguish, one from the other whilst reading though recalling names more generally, even those common enough in England, is for me always slightly difficult for some reason. 

The Russian names problem though, was for me compounded by the fact that distinguishing between the 'good' Russians and the 'bad' Russians in the book was difficult, and indeed whether any of the Russian characters at all, were 'good', was quite perplexing and even by the novel's conclusion, was to me at least,  still unclear.

While reading the novel,  I found that the  fact that so many of the locations that were referred to by the author, were ordinary often south London, suburbs such as Crystal Palace, made a change from the usual Hampstead et al, of other authors in the UK. On the other hand the plot was a little light, in my humble opinion. 

Having just finished Damon Galgut's  2021 Booker Prize winner, an extraordinary novel which was however far from straightforward a read,  Alan Johnson's novel, which was next in line, was almost a relief to read, given the lightness of the plot overall.  

Possibly 'The Late Train to Gypsy Hill', is best read in tranches during a long commute into work.