Book Review by Robert Wiersema SAPPHIRE BLUE by Gord Hume In Gord Hume’s debut novel, Sapphire Blue refers to a condominium complex in Port Manatee, on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The three buildings are presided over by “this group of 13 rich, mostly blonde – well, in theory, although their high school yearbook pictures would dispute that presentday reality – wives” who, from their corner of the pool deck, “callously bisected, trisected and dissected every person in the condo complex who didn’t meet their exacting standards.” As the novel opens, The Wives are unaware that “a red-headed hurricane” is about to upset their rigorous social order: Samantha Summers, on the run from a highstakes divorce in New York City, is about to buy a unit in Sapphire Blue. This sort of social commentary and conflict, rich in potential for satire and keen observation, would be more than enough material for a novel, but Hume isn’t finished. There’s also a murder, wrongful accusations, organized crime, corruption in city government, intrepid amateur investigators and a few romances thrown in. With so much material, so many things happening within the narrative, the novel feels overstuffed, crammed too full. As a result, the pacing feels unnaturally accelerated, the story moving from action beat to action beat with little time taken for texture or depth. Much of the book feels as if it is blurted, rather than written; the above sentence introducing The Wives, for example, comes on the first page. There’s no opportunity for the readers to come to their own conclusions about these characters, or to see them in action, before being forced to react to them. The characterizations, even of the main characters – including Samantha and her new friends Samira and Kim – are broad and superficial, bordering on caricature. Samantha, for example, is introduced as a sassy, confident, brash redhead from New York; she isn’t developed much beyond that. Dialogue is treated with a similar broadness, bordering on cliché. There are exchanges such as: “Why the hell would you divorce that?” “She dumped him. Don’t knowwhy but yeah, that is one gorgeous piece of ass!” “Sid! Stop that!” Which feels as if it’s waiting for the laugh track from a 1970s sitcom. (The above is also indicative of a fairly limited perspective regarding the relationships between the sexes.) Hume, who has had a long career in civic leadership and is a well-respected speaker on sustainable urban development and creative cities, clearly knows his way around municipal government, and the storyline about the fast-tracking of a development – and who stands to benefit – shows considerable promise. Unfortunately, the conspiracy and conspirators are obvious from the start (due in part to the broadness of the characters), leaving little in the way of mystery. With the fast pacing of the novel, there is little chance for any genuine suspense or peril to develop. By the time the reader realizes that a character is in danger, the situation has already resolved itself and the novel moves on to the next situation. All that being said, Sapphire Blue isn’t an unpleasant read; it’s the sort of book that will pleasantly occupy you for a few hours, perhaps poolside. There’s something fun about watching Samantha shake things up, and the way the mysteries fall into place exactly the way you had anticipated they would. And if Sapphire Blue is your frosty mojito, you’re in luck…Hume promises that a sequel − Alligator Alley − is coming soon. CSANews | SUMMER 2019 | 41
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