Live

How to pronounce the title of Luke Palmer’s new novel? Is it ‘Live’ as in how we live now, or ‘Live’ as in live music? As it’s the story of young musicians, who live to play, it could be either. The central characters are all young people who love music and creating it. George writes songs and dreams of a future far away from his hometown as a professional musician. Ambitious and driven, he organises his band members, Owen, Fin and Sam, and in their very small pond, the band is a big fish. Newly arrived in the area, Beth is as talented as George and music is as important to her, something that is always there as the family move around the country, following her mother’s business career. Then there’s Tadhg, a talented singer who, at first, only sings when sure no-one is listening. They are together at school, of course, and at parties, but the sudden terrible death of one of these young people turns them into community united by shock and grief. We see the devastating impact on George, stricken with PTSD and depression, and we watch Fin consumed by his porn habit, watching it even, shockingly and catastrophically, on the bus. We also watch as through music, but mostly time and friendships, they start to recover. Luke Palmer has a rare ability to create believable young male characters, capturing their voices, hopes and insecurities. He allows readers to see them make mistakes, get things wrong, and learn. While it’s a third person narrative, necessary with such a large cast of fully developed characters, we get particular insight into George through the device of the WhatsApp messages he continues to send to his friend, even after death. Monologues that are poignant, revealing, and help George work his way through what is happening. The theme of music runs through the story too, of course, and an emphasis on the importance – life-giving importance even – of creativity and self-expression, connection and escape, gives the book an extra resonance. Palmer writes very well and this is another moving and compelling story. Maybe that title is an exhortation to young people: ‘Live!’