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Product Description
Evening Standard
`It's very, very good'
Review
`Szalay's satire is sharp, though his depictions of rush-hour raise the blood pressure to levels that are not advisable'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Despite its rather puzzling title, this is a generally solidly constructed book, and a rather satisfying read. Mr Szalay's central character, Paul is a man on the edge; a seller of worthless ads in uncirculated magazines and a functional alcoholic, it is clear that something in his life is going to give. The characterisation is deftly handled, even if Mr Szalay doesn't entirely avoid slipping in a little of the sensibility of the author to the worldview of his central character. Still such leakage is probably inevitable, so this is the merest quibble.
The self absorption and despair is very nicely handled. His use of smoking on every possible occasion is superb, suggesting both the isolation of Paul, his entrapment in his situation, and a sort of hazy feeling that hangs over the entire work.
While this is primarily a novel about psychological breakdown, it doesn't compromise on narrative drive. We are drawn into Paul's very pedestrian world of work, his down at heel suburbian life, his rather tenuous relationships with even his closest family. The pace and intensity of the first two hundred pages, give way to a somewhat gentler second half in the novel, as Paul begins to rebuild his life. Anyone who has done the sort of mind numbing work that the author describes, or has been in Paul's situation, will admire the perceptive way in which the character's crisis is described.
All in all this is an excellent first novel and deserves a wide readership.
The self absorption and despair is very nicely handled. His use of smoking on every possible occasion is superb, suggesting both the isolation of Paul, his entrapment in his situation, and a sort of hazy feeling that hangs over the entire work.
While this is primarily a novel about psychological breakdown, it doesn't compromise on narrative drive. We are drawn into Paul's very pedestrian world of work, his down at heel suburbian life, his rather tenuous relationships with even his closest family. The pace and intensity of the first two hundred pages, give way to a somewhat gentler second half in the novel, as Paul begins to rebuild his life. Anyone who has done the sort of mind numbing work that the author describes, or has been in Paul's situation, will admire the perceptive way in which the character's crisis is described.
All in all this is an excellent first novel and deserves a wide readership.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fantastically funny, extremely well-observed and surprisingly humane given that it is basically about sharks. Paul is trying not to be one; the reader can make up his or her mind on that.
I suppose it helps if you know anything about this particular world and/or live in London. If you do, I very much recommend this. If you have ever sold advertising, this is about you and your colleagues! You will recognise some of them!
I gave my copy to someone (a fellow salesperson) and never got it back. I shall soon have to buy another one to own; that's how much I like this novel. Am looking forward to reading his other work, which I bought just on the strength of this one, and which is completely different.
I suppose it helps if you know anything about this particular world and/or live in London. If you do, I very much recommend this. If you have ever sold advertising, this is about you and your colleagues! You will recognise some of them!
I gave my copy to someone (a fellow salesperson) and never got it back. I shall soon have to buy another one to own; that's how much I like this novel. Am looking forward to reading his other work, which I bought just on the strength of this one, and which is completely different.
Format:Paperback
Though I enjoyed this novel's attempt to portray a midlife psychological breakdown and the main character's attempt to rebuild his life, I felt that it was marred by behaviour and descriptions that didn't really ring true. Though the main chracter is an alcoholic, would he really be able to spend £200 per week on drink, given his failure at his job and that he commutes to London every day from a rented house in Hove? Would his partner tolerate his behaviour - arriving home drunk in the early hours every day - and do nothing more than ask if 'everything's OK' or mildly suggest that he may need to talk to someone? I think not, his life would have fallen apart catastrophically rather than his being able to maintain his home and family, allowing him the luxury of unfocussed introspection on what to do with his life. Another minor point: 'Church's shoes' are not the choice of someone who has been earning the min. wage. Altogether a strange mixture of psychological insight and naivety.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
I presume the Olympic Committee didn't read this rubbish before London...
Make no mistake. This is a bad book. Some of the other reviews (and indeed some in the national press) have given this 5 stars. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Johnnyboy
A slice of verite
Well written, acutely observed mans world. My only quibble is that the ending is too realistic. My efforts to reach the end didn't feel rewarded. Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2009 by Fifi Bergere
Great debut
This is a terrific novel, one of the best fiction books I've read in a while.
Szalay is a writer of great skill and assurance and produces a gripping tale. Read more
Szalay is a writer of great skill and assurance and produces a gripping tale. Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2009 by Charles
Enjoyable read despite ocassional Americanisms
It's nice to read a book where the main character is so realistically flawed and could well be someone you pass on the street every day. Read more
Published on 26 May 2009 by J. Driscoll
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