An Amsterdam Affair

I have good memories of my own Amsterdam visit, several years ago now, and appreciated being reminded of the city by Amanda Addison's detailed observations and descriptions. She obviously has a great love for this place which shines through her writing. An Amsterdam Affair is set in dual places - Amsterdam and Great Yarmouth - and in dual time periods - present day and 1980s - and I liked the circular feel to the tale with our leading characters undertaking similar life journeys, a generation apart and under very different circumstances. Addison also explores geographical connections, having her characters remark often on the proximity and comparable landscapes of the Netherlands and Norfolk, and I appreciated the realistic diversity of the characters.

It did take me about a third of the book to be entranced by An Amsterdam Affair. The pace remains gentle throughout and the underlying family mystery isn't highlighted until the later stages. I loved the various portrayals of characters confronting 'what might have been'. Art is the star of the story with frequent name dropping, some of which I recognised, and the emphasis on the visual reminded me of Tracy Farr's novel The Life And Loves Of Lena Gaunt which uses evocations of sound as a focus. My copy of An Amsterdam Affair was sadly let down by wrongly used and missing words that often distracted me from the atmosphere Addison creates, however I am assured that this is now rectified. Regardless it is still a lovely read with an uplifting depiction of family and the potential role of art in overcoming trauma.