Review: The Quiet Side of Passion (Isabel Dalhousie, #12)
Gaby Meares
Yet another charming novel from the extraordinarily prolific McCall Smith. I really don’t know how he manages to produce so many entertaining books, without repeating himself or getting boring - but he does!
This is the 12th Isabel Dalhousie novel. It does enhance the experience if you’ve read the previous books, however, McCall Smith is very adroit at filling in the backstory for new readers.
Like most McCall Smith books, this novel is less plot driven, and more about the characters internal landscapes; particularly those internal dialogues we all have regarding the rights and wrongs of our actions.
Isabel is a philosopher, so spends much time ruminating on her actions and moral decisions. This may not be to everyone’s taste, but I think that our world would be a much better place if we all did likewise!
Towards the end of this novel, Isabel picks up a book entitled Buddhist Ethics and opens it at random. She notes a paragraph heading: “Love and compassion are the only balm” and underlines the words. I think you could apply this heading to describe not only The Quiet Side of Passion, but to all Alexander McCall Smith’s delightful novels.
So, put the kettle on, and settle in with a soothing cuppa and this latest dose of “love and compassion”.