This is the first book of William Boyd’s that I’ve read so I had no idea of what to expect, although I know he is a highly acclaimed author.It definitely held my attention and made me want to keep reading. It’s an interesting depiction of late 60s Britain which also touches on the 1968 riots in France. The three people who form the trio of the title are involved in the making of a film in Brighton. Elfrida is an alcoholic author, suffering from writer’s block, whose husband is directing the film;Talbot is the film’s producer facing problems with his business partner and with his hidden sexuality, and Anny is the star of the film whose ex- husband is causing problems for her. None of them is very likeable,so it’s hard to feel any empathy, but I was interested to find out how the author resolved their problems and was satisfied with the way the book ended.I also liked the descriptions of the film making process ,and some of it was quite funny too. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

Trio by William Boyd An unusual story, telling the loosely entwined lives of a film producer, an author who has writer’s block and a beautiful young actress. Largely set in 1960’s Brighton, the book contains a strange mix of characters, situations and how their circumstances pan out. The best part for me was the author’s attempt to write a book speculating on the last days of Virginia Woolf. Now another bit of Googling for me!

This is set in Brighton in the late ‘60s, and follows the lives of 3 people who are linked by a film being made there. Anny is the lead actress, an American, who tends to poor taste in men. Elfrida is the directors wife, an author in her own right who is always compared to Virginia Woolf, for reasons she herself can’t see. And Talbot, one of the producers who is too naive for this cut throat business. The book portrays the sense of the 60s very well, boundaries are being pushed and anything goes now, a far cry from WWII and the austerity that followed. I enjoyed Talbots story, his self discovery, and how he handles it, which comes as a surprise to him. Anny was so vulnerable, so innocent, again surprising for someone in the film industry. The one I didn’t find interesting was Elfrida, her story felt a bit contrived but I enjoyed the way it played out at the end. And a couple of nice twists too. Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for the opportunity to r3view this book

The trio are,Movie Director,Talbot Kidd currently in Brighton making a film with Anny Viklund who is having an affair with her co star and writer Elfrida Wing whose writers block for a long period .You can see characters of many people in these but to me are a bit stereotypical.All are having problems of one sort of another,Talbots business partner is an old friend of his but the financiers of the film are shady people who are using him to defraud Talbot.Anny has an es-husband who is part of an organisation at war with the USA an has exploded a bomb causing several injuries ,has escaped from Prison in the USA and looks for her.Anny has a drink problem that is getting worse the more she worries about her writers block.her publishers are not exactly sympathetic. It would not surprise me if this is made into a TV series although a bit old hat.Could have been written in the 70's which I think is the idea . Quite enjoyable but not Boyd's best work. (less)

It's the late 60s and the trio in question include an actress, Anny Viklund; a film producer, Talbot Kydd; and novelist, Elfrida Wing. Anny and Talbot are working together in Brighton whilst Elfrida is loosely connected through Reggie, her husband, who is directing the film. As you would expect the writing of this book is superb. Great insight, here, into the manifest pitfalls and the diplomacy required to make a film. Lots of horse trading and ego soothing makes for brilliant dialog. Hand in hand with cajoling actors and script writers to fly blind in order to make the fruits of diplomacy look intended - excellent stuff. Of the characters I couldn't really form a connection to any of them but I found Elfrida enchanting in a disconnected, drunken way. Talbot was next highest on the level of esteem I felt but only in the way you might feel for a co-worker you pass in the halls and know well enough to smile and say hello to but not much else. Anny didn't register for me at all. She felt as shallow as you may expect an actress to be. As beautifully written as this novel was, I didn't feel compelled to see this book through. There just wasn't a drive on my part to invest in the story to examine how the events unfolded. Elfrida's arch was unexpected while, conversely, Anny's seemed rather pointless. Standing back I can see Trio is well crafted but populated with bits and bobs of little to no interest to me. Perhaps that's the point and this story is meant to reflect the fruitlessness of the entertainment industry - lots of effort for minimal returns and no real substance?