#bookreview: Number 10 by William Clark

This was another of those cheap reads I picked up at a book sale (can't remember which, but probably the one in Kota Kinabalu). I'd been picking up more political-type books, and thought this might be an interesting read (even though it's fiction) about the British political system, off which Malaysia's scene is supposed to be based.

Number 10 by William Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Number 10 is an interesting look at the (supposed) happenings in 10 Downing Street during a political crisis. It's an old British book, so it's not half as exciting as modern American thrillers but steadily plods along with crisp language and pretty words.



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(Sorry, no book cover. It's apparently not read enough to have an entry on goodreads so I added it myself.)

I do like the concept of some dissension within a political party/sitting Cabinet, because it does mean that the politicians/ministers involved are actually thinking and working out things for the best of their constituents, rather than the Yes Man scenario we apparently have at the moment. This quote from chapter 16 puts it in an interesting light:

Everyone rather enjoys a row in Parliament because it gives substance to the supposed deep divisions between the two sides of the House; everyone hates a row in Cabinet because it means a struggle between supposedly united and friendly colleagues. It is usually carried on in polite terms, which make the dagger thrusts seem more malicious and treacherous than is the case when the atmosphere is lightened by the good clean fun of parliamentary abuse.

The thing is, the way it is, it's not even a proper row. It's more of a childish squabble.