Tangerine by Christine Mangan

Tangerine by Christine Mangan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The last person Alice Shipley expected to see since arriving in Tangier with her new husband was Lucy Mason. After the horrific accident at Bennington, the two friends - once inseparable roommates - haven't spoken in over a year. But Lucy is standing there, trying to make things right.

Perhaps Alice should be happy. She has not adjusted to life in Morocco, too afraid to venture out into the bustling medinas and oppressive heat. Lucy, always fearless and independent, helps Alice emerge from her flat and explore the country.

But soon a familiar feeling starts to overtake Alice - she feels controlled and stifled by Lucy at every turn. Then Alice's husband, John, goes missing, and Alice starts to question everything around her: her relationship with her enigmatic friend, her decision to ever come to Tangier, and her very own state of mind.

Tangerine is an extraordinary debut, so tightly wound, so evocative of 1950s Tangier, and so cleverly plotted that it will leave you absolutely breathless.

I was intrigued by the title and blurb and (with the assurances of the book seller) was told that this was a great psychological thriller and I would be riveted from the first page. So I was impressed and a little seduced into buying this one. Now I must say there was a little I liked about the book, the use of language (being set in 1956 it was important to get this right), the descriptive set setting of Tangiers and the atmosphere but for me it ended there.

The first half of the book was essentially character and background building although the reader does not learn about the tragedy that happened to the main character Alice until about half way through the book. From then the pace should have ramped up, after all we have an obsessive college school mate who has sought Alice out and is determined to.........to what?.....We are led to believe that Lucy is probably a lesbian and has lusted after Alice for many years but this is not confirmed and not clear whether Alice reciprocates the feelings. So why has Lucy turned up in Tangiers and sought Alice out? Why indeed as this is not made clear which does make Lucy's actions a little hard to swallow.

Then lets look at Alice, we are led to believe she is a little fragile in her mind, is she insane? who knows, are we being told her side of the story through a madwoman's mind? Does the things that happen really happen? OK so far so good in terms of building an intriguing story except it's never made clear what is going on. Does her guardian Aunt Maude know Sophie is really Lucy and together they have plotted to have Alice committed? The timings of this is also off, Maude is Alice guardian and she gets her inheritance when she is 21 the problem here is that when she starts college she is 17 and when she leaves she's 21 and has been in Tangiers for at least a year and a half yet were told she's only 20 coming up for the end of her guardianship at 21. Bit confusing and sloppy really to get this timeframe muddled - it muddles the reader.

There is another murder and we do know who does it but then the introduction of a local man with a scar on his face is introduced - we never find out who he is or what purpose he has to the story and the ending is such a let down it all felt rather like Christine Mangan had an initial good idea for a book then ran out of steam mid way through.

So many questions were left hanging unanswered and the ending for me was just plain lazy - sorry I wanted to like this book but ended up feeling empty and dissatisfied. Can only give this a 2 star rating.