Diamond Star Halo, By Tiffany Murray
A kooky rock'n'roll childhood
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Your support makes all the difference.The mixed blessings of growing up in the 1970s have been the subject of many memorable novels, but Tiffany Murray's new book is one of the few to give the adjective "kooky" back its good name. Unlike other veterans of the era, Murray hasn't had to look far for inspiration. Raised in rural Monmouthshire, she grew up at the legendary Rockfield Studios, where her father was a producer and her mother the resident cook.
It was here that Freddie Mercury hammered out the harmonies for "Bohemian Rhapsody", and strung-out rock stars came to commune with the pigs. Murray's novel is set in "Rockfarm", home to five-year-old Halo Llewelyn and her unconventional family, including her cross-dressing brother, Vince, and Elvis-worshipping Nan.
Murray's distinctive debut, Happy Accidents, earned comparisons to Cold Comfort Farm. Here a more Brontë-esque vibe is at play. Of all the visitors to the studios, the members of the American band Tequila are the ones to get under Halo's skin. On their departure, the eight "honey-brown" cowboys bequeath an unusual parting gift: a jaw-droppingly beautiful baby boy. It's clear that this dark-eyed changeling – "part seal-pup, part bloody Heathcliff" – has all the makings of a future rock god.
In lesser hands, Murray's ensemble of eccentrics might have grown tiresome. It's testament to her talents that she has transformed this material into something more substantial. Thanks to Halo's presence, a tender coming-of-age story captures the ordinary pangs of growing up in unusual circumstances. The one enchantment that Halo can't wake up from is her attraction to Fred, the "cuckoo- brother" destined to break the heart of every girl, including her.
Murray marries the prairie pathos of Tequila's better lyrics with home-grown pastoralism. Her lush prose will put a spring in your step and a smile on your face. The music only ends with the death of Halo's mother. Sadly for this close-knit clan, the stairway to heaven is one that must be climbed alone.
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