Riptide

by Peter Benson

On his nineteenth birthday in an English seaside town, Duncan Blaine gets a clue to the whereabouts of his mother, Diana, who, nine years earlier, left him to be raised by relatives when a tragic accident took the life of her husband. When he meets her Duncan is also introduced to the new man in her life, a cardiac surgeon with whom she intends to live in Canada. Distraught at the prospect of yet another separation, Duncan attempts to reconcile with his mother while conducting a passionate affair with an employee of the inn where he is staying. A compelling coming-of-age tale, in which Benson employs surfing as a metaphor, adding graceful comic details and a series of charming secondary characters, Riptide is an intense, even transcendent examination of a young man’s struggle to establish his identity while facing the loss of both parents.

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 1994

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Peter Benson was born in 1956 in Kent, UK and is the award-winning author of seven novels. His work has been described as ‘a far-reaching exploration into unlikely relationships’ and is characterised by the precision of its language, characterisations and approach.

Reviews

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like an earlier book I read by the author, this is narrated by a young man who falls in love. Duncan is a skilled surfer, usually alone with his board and the sea.
Unlike the earlier book, this one is consciously literary, with surfing as a metaphor for life stretched almost to breaking point. Life and the sea can be beautiful, dangerous, unpredictable and need strength, skills and experience to cope with it. The surfing metaphor and imagery work very well. The intensity of Duncan's experience could be compared with Hemingway's Old Man.
Duncan's father died when he was ten and his grieving mother could not cope, leaving him to be brought up by his aunt and uncle. She does not have the skills or strength to cope with life. The story is about Duncan's meeting with his mother after eight year's and shows strength and fragility, grief and grieving, clinging and separation, and how to love and let go all very well, with insight and understanding.
There are several instances of love, but the main love story in between Duncan and Estelle. There are some very well written sex scenes, some of the least cringe-worthy I have come across, and an authentic interaction between the two of them. I was not quite as convinced by Diana and Clive's relationship, but Diana is a difficult woman to get to know.
This is an excellent book and I thoroughly recommend it, whether you have ever been on a surf board or not.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had I the slightest experience of surfing this would have been an undoubted five star; and it seems unfair my lack has reduced my rating of a book which had so much else to enjoy. Not least the fresh unexpectedness of the plot.