Jude Cook – Jacob’s Advice

‘Jacob’s Advice’ by Jude Cook is a thought-provoking story of belonging, family and how we see ourselves within society.

We see it from the point of view of Nick who is the narrator of this, what you could think of as a meandering book. He is a complicated man who feels disconnected in his world and his cousin Larry, who feels Jewish but with no proof he actually is. The story is set in Paris just after the terrorist attacks on the city. These cousins have separate lives but are interwoven with each other.

Paris in 2015 was a hotbed for racial tension, which we could expect after the atrocities this particular year and we find out that this may be why an acquaintance of one of the men has been murdered. Larry and Nick decide they need to discover both of their identities and then meet Jacob. He seems to be a font of all knowledge for our main characters. It turns out he may be the key to them finding answers to their questions.

A very different and, I think, an original book. I found myself deep in the story and actually thinking about my place in society. That’s how much it made me think. A subtly gripping book that took me by surprise.
Thanks to Random Things Tours and the publisher for a copy of the book for the tour today.