Justin Cartwright: Half In Love

By SARAH McRAE

This new Justin Cartwright story creates a love affair between two public characters - a contemporary Richard MacAllister, the intelligent and respected minister in a newly elected, Blair-sounding British Labour Government, and a beautiful and talented Joanna Jermyn, the classical English actress-turned-film-star.

Richard and Joanna are clearly in love with each other but she is already married. They have also chosen publicity-demanding careers and have each managed to attract a certain amount of attention. Kidding himself that he's a man of the people, the privileged Richard is stabbed by an ultra-right raver at a football match, and in promoting her new film, Joanna is asked about her links with the honourable bachelor minister.

As privileged and lucky as these characters may seem, this story is not about cream cakes and tea cups in a passive English setting. The main thread of the story is the affair. There is a definite risk to its stability. In counter-Austen style, lovers Joanna and Richard risk moving from their state of assumed understanding and commitment, to one of misunderstanding and painful loss.

Cartwright's fictional probe into the life of the rich and famous does contain some voyeuristic appeal, although it takes a fantastic leap to imagine a Kiwi film or TV queen taking on one of our own well-paunched Parliamentary members.

In places there is some minor credibility-stretching, such as the minister lacking the usual retinue of advisers, secretaries, media minders and Cabinet colleagues. And if he had really been kicked by a pony in his youth, his nose would assume a more dramatic camber than being slightly uneven.

But overall Cartwright's writing succeeds in capturing the musings of a couple of attractive characters caught up in some interesting circumstances. Voyeurism aside, this is a beautiful and credible tale of two adults seeking to fathom the true intensity of their love.

And for the hardheads, there is some good debate about the role and power of Richard and Joanna's industries, and reflections on the integrity and history of Britain's Labour Government.

* Sceptre $24.95

* Sarah McRae is a Wellington reviewer.