Dance of the Rainmakers

Having lived some years in Wales (namely Cardiff) I thought the book looked interesting as I’ve not been able to read much set in a Welsh setting for a while (maybe I just haven’t looked around that much) - and I also found the description interesting due to its setting in what’s going on in the world right now (with Covid-19, the Brexit aftermath etc. etc.).

Coeur gives an insight to an (made-up, but still recognisable) Welsh village and the hardships both the village itself and its inhabitants have faced during the troubling times. The readers meet a wide variety of characters all with their charms and faults all trying to make the most of what they have and also trying to make things better for their community. We have the characters who have been brought up in the community and seen it slowly wear down (people moving away, jobs disappearing, schools closing) and the new people in the village full of some sort of hope and motivation. Of course, these two groups clash even though I think they wanted the same things.

Something I felt the author did really well was balancing the different characters and he managed to keep them different from one another. I feel that sometimes authors tend to make characters too similar to one another and forgetting that differences make for a more interesting story - but this, like stated - wasn’t a problem in this book!

I feel like I’ve met all these characters whilst living in Wales and that made me feel a bit “homesick” (I’m not Welsh), and making me hope to go back there as soon as that’s possible.

I thought this was an interesting read - very different from what I usually read - and I was happy to read it.

This review was published on my Goodreads account (see link) on 2nd 2021.

The description of the book intriqued me and it was definitely worth the read. Some of the characters made me cringe, because they are so horrible. But cringe in a good way. Very entertaining.

- Posted on NetGalley and "3 Friends and the Apocalit" Book Club Website (Linked)
- Review posted on August 29th, 2021

This book is really interesting. I received it as a digital ARC by Troubador through NetGalley for an honest review.

The cover design is beautiful and it’s what drew me into requesting the book. I thought I was going to read some seaside multi-person plot (which I did) with a literary flair. This book has its beautiful literary moments, like its description of a bird’s flight expanding over the village rooftops—but in its essence, it is a gritty book full of men trying to assert their power and reclaim a dying Welsh village. 

The central tension of the story is the Welsh townspeople fighting everything approaching them. At the local tavern, you have a political discussion by the everyman: anger at the English, anger at the corporations, anger at the politicians. I think the author did a good job at creating characters who were convincing in their anger.

One of the most compelling characters in this book is Frankie Pimlott. I enjoyed her character a lot, and in many ways, she acts as a critique of influencer culture. She’s the one who is trying to sell us this town, and we see that the town doesn’t want to be sold.

However, this book is not PC ("politically correct"). If you read the first chapter, you might get offended by its casual racial references relating to COVID-19 by the local townspeople. There are other comments made by characters in the book that are homophobic, fat-phobic, misogynist, and male chauvinist. There is also LGBTQ violence and battery. Here’s where I want to caution the reader by saying that I really don’t know anything about the author and his intentions. After reading the whole book, I’m fairly certain that the author does not mean to offend his reader. That’s why I wouldn’t normally read a book like this, but I found myself seeing pieces of real life in this story.

I rate it a 3/5. To be sure, it challenged me as a reader. See what you might make out of this story!

The cover and the blurb definitely attracted me to this novel but it wasn’t entirely what I expected.

As a reader it certainly challenged me, however I could see some people taking some of the language used somewhat offensive.

I didn’t entirely warm to the characters and actually found them to be rude and irritating.

But the book has definitely given me thought.

A HUGE thank you to Matador and NetGalley for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well, this was a strange one. I couldn't, and I suppose still can't, quite figure out what this book is supposed to be. The cover suggests a cosy little heart-warming story, but it's definitely not that. Horror? Satire? If you're a reader that likes to have a character to root for, then this isn't for you. All the characters are horrid and I couldn't give two hoots about any of them - ah, possibly the judge, but he's only a small voice of common sense in a whole rabble of horrors.
Imagine a place where the people feel wronged... can't afford a home, can't find a decent job, can't afford the nice things in life... then along comes a wannabe politician with a little money and a shed load of arrogance and points at the incoming foreigner and says, 'It's all their fault, we need to get rid of them.'
Sound familiar?
Add in a few influencers who watch to see how the crowd are running, and journalists who have most of their eyes on where the media moguls are flying their flag, and we have the full depressing inevitable slide into population manipulation.
The book is well-written, though there are some timeing issues... the Lloyd/Ruth thing started very quickly, almost like the writer went back and added that storyline at the end., but on the whole, yeah, the writer can write. But in this story is all the unpleasantness, ignorance, arrogance and divisivness of the above 'imagined' scenario plus a touch into the Scots and Irish too. There is something to offend everyone in this book, I think, so at least it's ballanced in that nobody comes out smelling sweetly. I'm Welsh, grew up in Pembrokeshire and it's where I chose to rear my children, and trust me, we aren't all thick and sick, but all my children moved away, and much of the county's population is English retirees. And yes, they voted Leave. So, there we are.
This book is OK, provocative I'd say, but OK. Sounds naive of me in hindsight, but I hoped to read a conclusion which might help us, but I guess if the writer had the answer he wouldn't be writing but sitting supping champagne somewhere counting all his money. Though in fairness I think the message at the end was supposed to be hope. Maybe in a few years I'll read it again and that hope for the future will have bore some fruit and we can all live happilly ever after. Wouldn't that be something.
Thanks to Netgalley, Matador and the author for the ARC
.

Although this book is classed as a general fiction book I would be more likely to class it as political / crime novel. I found this novel very interested as i love controversial issues i like to see a well balanced argument and this is what the author did. The issue that this book looks at is the increasing amount of holiday homes in a small village in Wales. How there isn't enough houses for local people and that prices are driven up and beyond what the locals can afford. The author balances this story with the 3 main character each from a different walk of life. The book also deals with how some Welsh people still have a hatred of the English. This made the book a real page turner for me. It was fun having a love/hate relationship with the characters as they have strong personalities. I felt he did a very good portrayal of what life is like in small Welsh villages well they are exaggerated the hatred for the novel. It almost seems like a non-fiction book as its dealing with real issues. I picked this book because although I'm from England I feel like I belong in Wales and i adore the Welsh language. I also love to holiday around the area that this book seems to be based around. That created a special connection with this book.

I really recommend this book, it is well worth a read.

I would like to thank the author and his publishing team for this brilliant insightful and eye opening work of fiction. Many lessons are to be learnt by reading this book. so come on broaden them horizons and jump into this great book.

Also reviewed on amazon, goodreads, kobo, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/dance-of-the-rainmakers-by-james-coeur-matador-4-stars and matador review page

This was a good book with a whole range of characters, both good and bad. Beautiful setting which really was a character of its own.

A Welsh revolution. Imagine that. Drawn to the pastel colours in the cover and the story being set in Wales, this book looked like it may be something different. Very contemporary (as in post Covid-19) it looks at many political and current issues facing rural areas such as Wales. The story is mainly told from three main points of view: a police officer who had served during the riots in Bradford, an educated political activist and thug, and an 'outsider' journalist from London. A lot of perspectives mingle with other characters and there is a mish-mash of head-hopping that includes the police officer's wife and children through to various journalists and police officers who join the story later.

It is an interesting read about the issues facing a fictitious Welsh seaside town, such as central government funding and outsiders settling and taking houses that locals cannot afford. The outsiders in this instance are English, some wanting to live their lives in the beautiful country that Wales is, while others want to change it, to bring it up to date like modern English towns. Because of Covid many people now work from home and quite a few realised that they are no longer tied to their workplace in a way they once were, so why not move to the seaside? Many of the characters are typical of 1950s England with their sexist and racist attitudes and adversity to change. I'm not sure how accurate this is of Wales - but this is a work of fiction.

This is an enjoyable book that looks at the traditional status quo and the challenges of modernity and the decisions that need to be faced to earn a living. At times the stereotypes seem a little farcical so I wondered if the book is a satire, especially regarding the police. The tale is about the revolution from its beginning to its whimpering end and covers every gripe rural folk ever had, even the invasions of the English king Edward I in the thirteenth century. Well written (if you exclude the head hopping and unlikable stereotypes) the book makes a pleasant change. Can't wait to go back to Wales.

Although this book is classed as a general fiction book I would be more likely to class it as political / crime novel. I found this novel very interested as i love controversial issues i like to see a well balanced argument and this is what the author did. The issue that this book looks at is the increasing amount of holiday homes in a small village in Wales. How there isn't enough houses for local people and that prices are driven up and beyond what the locals can afford. The author balances this story with the 3 main character each from a different walk of life. The book also deals with how some Welsh people still have a hatred of the English. This made the book a real page turner for me. It was fun having a love/hate relationship with the characters as they have strong personalities. I felt he did a very good portrayal of what life is like in small Welsh villages well they are exaggerated the hatred for the novel. It almost seems like a non-fiction book as its dealing with real issues. I picked this book because although I'm from England I feel like I belong in Wales and i adore the Welsh language. I also love to holiday around the area that this book seems to be based around. That created a special connection with this bo