None of the ten stories in this second collection (the first,
Secrets, did not appear here) has the odd, mysterious quality of
MacLaverty's debut novel, Lamb (1980); but the best work here
brings fresh, affecting specifics to familiar, timeless growing-up
material. In "My Dear Palestrina," a young lad slowly, reluctantly
learns to love music from immigrant music-teacher Miss Schwartz -
and is understandably confused when the whole town (including his
own mum) suddenly turns against the music teacher, who is
miserably, notoriously pregnant. In the title piece, another
innocent boy wakes up to the reality of his sexy barmaid-mother's
extracurricular life. And, in the brief "Life Drawing," an
artist-son sits by the deathbed of his ever-rejecting father.
Another father/son exercise here works far less well, thanks to a
melodramatic windup. And MacLaverty's attempts at downbeat
slice-of-life sketches - overage hookers dispensing phone-sex, an
abused wife who prostitutes herself to finance her escape, etc. -
deliver only the mildest of ironies. Still MacLaverty -
Belfast-born, Scotland-dwelling - remains a writer to watch, with a
clear, unpretentious storytelling voice that pleases. . . even in
such lightweight pieces as these. (Kirkus Reviews)
Bernard Mac Laverty's beautifully turned storeis are full of humour, terse realism and moments of touching or shocking surprise. Nelson plays truant and sees something he wishes he hadn't in the title story, 'A Time to Dance'. In Phonefun Limited Sadie and Agnes, retired prostitutes hit upon an inventive new way of making someone happy with a phone call, while in My Dear Palestrina' a remarkable music teacher initiates her pupil into the mysteries of art and maturity.
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