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Product Description
Review
`Artful twists and social satire enjoyably merge with cheeky literary allusions'
--Independent
'A witty and well-observed tale of obsession and delusion, with a satirical smattering of snobbery' --Tatler
'Smart, funny, and full of literary resonance'
--Daily Mail
`Connoisseurs of human wickedness (as well as fans of Ian McEwan, a palpable influence) will delight in The Book Lover's Tale.'
--Tablet
--Independent
'A witty and well-observed tale of obsession and delusion, with a satirical smattering of snobbery' --Tatler
'Smart, funny, and full of literary resonance'
--Daily Mail
`Connoisseurs of human wickedness (as well as fans of Ian McEwan, a palpable influence) will delight in The Book Lover's Tale.'
--Tablet
Book Description
A stirring literary tale of book lovers and sexual obsession from the talented young author of THE NIGHT CLIMBERS
Inside This Book
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
When we first meet Matt de Voy, he is about to relate the story of a murder he has committed, to a solicitor. Matt helps choose libraries for rich clients, while his wife Cecilia is an interior designer. Between them they create lifestyles and homes for the wealthy and Matt fits the image his clients expect - educated, bookish and handsome. Between them, they are a successful couple, but there are cracks in the marriage which cannot be repaired. Part of what attracted Cecilia to Matt was the fact he was a writer - however, after having one novel published, he never managed to write another. Cecilia's disapproving parents set them up with a home and helped her career, in which business Matt is now a partner. As far as their partnership goes though, work is the only place they really seem to cooperate or have anything in common.
Dissatisfied, Matt continues his life as a serial adulterer. He enjoys using literature to woo the wives he is working for - and, one imagines, enjoys being seen as more educated and sensitive than their husbands. When he first meets the Swanson's, he is immediately intrigued by the beautiful Claudia, while taking an instant dislike to her husband Jim. Jim works in Canary Wharf - he trades, he deals in money and business and banking. Matt, who collects first editions and wives, finds it incredible that the stunning wife can really love him and sets out to add her to his collection.
This book is the story of what happens over a sweltering summer in London, as Matt seems bent on the self destruction of his life and marriage. In some ways, the story is a sordid one - his attempts to make wives love him, while investing little of himself seems cruel and impossible. As he finds himself falling in love with Claudia, you are almost grateful that he is unable to hold himself aloof. However, from the start we know that the events of that summer lead to murder and the feeling of impending disaster hang over the book. It was a little hard, at times, to have sympathy for Matt, but his sheer arrogance could also be appealing. A well written, well crafted and enjoyable story and I will certainly go and discover this author's first book. This will appeal to all book lovers I think, who will understand the appeal of literature as a tool of seduction.
Dissatisfied, Matt continues his life as a serial adulterer. He enjoys using literature to woo the wives he is working for - and, one imagines, enjoys being seen as more educated and sensitive than their husbands. When he first meets the Swanson's, he is immediately intrigued by the beautiful Claudia, while taking an instant dislike to her husband Jim. Jim works in Canary Wharf - he trades, he deals in money and business and banking. Matt, who collects first editions and wives, finds it incredible that the stunning wife can really love him and sets out to add her to his collection.
This book is the story of what happens over a sweltering summer in London, as Matt seems bent on the self destruction of his life and marriage. In some ways, the story is a sordid one - his attempts to make wives love him, while investing little of himself seems cruel and impossible. As he finds himself falling in love with Claudia, you are almost grateful that he is unable to hold himself aloof. However, from the start we know that the events of that summer lead to murder and the feeling of impending disaster hang over the book. It was a little hard, at times, to have sympathy for Matt, but his sheer arrogance could also be appealing. A well written, well crafted and enjoyable story and I will certainly go and discover this author's first book. This will appeal to all book lovers I think, who will understand the appeal of literature as a tool of seduction.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I enjoyed Stourton's first novel The Night Climbers so was thrilled to walk into a book shop last Tuesday after lunch and discover this, his second, on the shelf. It is another display of elegant prose and intricate plotting from Stourton. This time though, we are in the hands of narrator, Matt de Voy. A man who Stourton has us dislike at first, and then slowly warm to as he engineers his own undoing. Set in the homes of rich Londoners, it's a tale of desire and disappointment, love and murder. The great skill of Stourton though lies in his ability to imbue a thriller with literary qualities, or rather a literary book with the pace of a thriller. The finest passage of the book takes place on a tube platform where one man considers another's recent haircut and nothing more happens, nor need it - I can't say anymore or I'll spoil it for you.
I look forward to wondering into my local bookshop in the not too distant future and discovering his third novel waiting for me on the shelf.
I look forward to wondering into my local bookshop in the not too distant future and discovering his third novel waiting for me on the shelf.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Matthew de Voy and his wife are partners in an interior design business, and he specializes in providing ready-made libraries full of books guaranteed to give the right impression. A failed novelist, he looks down on his rich philistine clients (" 'I could find you a first edition of Liar's Poker.' Every banker I have ever met thinks they are a character in Liar's Poker."), whilst sleeping with their wives. However, philandering makes way for obsession when he begins working for Claudia, the beautiful intelligent wife of a nouveau riche trader.
The novel opens with Matthew addressing his solicitor: someone has died and he is in custody. Matthew wants people to know that he is a tragic hero and he has to tell his tale as soon as possible: "This is fresh tragedy, it won't keep and I can't bear the thought of it going off. It's too awful, the first real tragedy of the twenty-first century, spoiling and curdling into melodrama."
Although I was engrossed from the start, I originally found the narrator rather charmless, with his air of superiority and condescension, and this feeling influenced how I felt about the novel. As it progressed, however, and the gap between events and Matthew's perception of them increased, I began to appreciate Stourton's skill in presenting the reader with this slippery almost-likeable narrator, and I started to go back over previous episodes, looking at them in a new light. The ending is excellent, leaving plenty to think about - I almost thought Stourton hadn't pulled it off, until the last page brings everything together.
The joy of reading is one of the book's themes, and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator's engagement with literature, as well as the numerous literary allusions. This overt literariness is also reflected in the book's prose, with an arresting image, metaphor, or simile, in practically every paragraph. Although often effective, sometimes such devices fell flat or were intrusive, with the prose seeming overwritten and displaying a lack of skill. However, although it is not perfect, I did enjoy and would recommend this book.
The novel opens with Matthew addressing his solicitor: someone has died and he is in custody. Matthew wants people to know that he is a tragic hero and he has to tell his tale as soon as possible: "This is fresh tragedy, it won't keep and I can't bear the thought of it going off. It's too awful, the first real tragedy of the twenty-first century, spoiling and curdling into melodrama."
Although I was engrossed from the start, I originally found the narrator rather charmless, with his air of superiority and condescension, and this feeling influenced how I felt about the novel. As it progressed, however, and the gap between events and Matthew's perception of them increased, I began to appreciate Stourton's skill in presenting the reader with this slippery almost-likeable narrator, and I started to go back over previous episodes, looking at them in a new light. The ending is excellent, leaving plenty to think about - I almost thought Stourton hadn't pulled it off, until the last page brings everything together.
The joy of reading is one of the book's themes, and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator's engagement with literature, as well as the numerous literary allusions. This overt literariness is also reflected in the book's prose, with an arresting image, metaphor, or simile, in practically every paragraph. Although often effective, sometimes such devices fell flat or were intrusive, with the prose seeming overwritten and displaying a lack of skill. However, although it is not perfect, I did enjoy and would recommend this book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
metafiction
I loved this book and found it to be a very dark piece of metafiction. The plot is absolutely fascinating and moves along at a good pace. Read more
Published 5 months ago by kehs
An obsession with books...
Matt is a connoisseur of literature and uses his knowledge to advise clients of his wife's interior design business of the books they MUST have on their shelves. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Blatant Biblioholic
Slow starter but eventual good read
I did struggle to get into this book at first and did contemplate giving up as found it slow and difficult to read. Read more
Published 10 months ago by J. Leckie
Well constructed and enjoyable
Matt De Voy runs and interior design business with his wife Cecilia. She chooses the decor and he stocks their library with the books that their clients think will make them look... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Victor Ward
A good read
Matt de Voy is a library advisor for his wife's interior design company. While advising clients on the content of the libraries he takes the opportunity to have affairs with any... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Kate
WHATEVER
A solid tale about a manipulative man with a bit of a book fetish. Doesn't sound that interesting but as a character Matt de Voy comes more and more alive the further into the... Read more
Published 11 months ago by A. Taylor
Excellent
Most unexpected book and much enjoyed -highly intriguing and read it at 2 sittings whilst away! Excellent and as a fan of Caro Fraser easy reads I really enjoyed it.
Published 11 months ago by avid british reader
Fantastic
Stourton's melodic prose, witty turn of phrase and unsual subject matter make this book such a pleasure to read. Read more
Published 11 months ago by KLR1982
A slow starter
A bit slow to get going but really picked pace in the final third. I wasnt expecting a happy outcome but the ending was predictable as we clearly saw the direction this ill fated... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Debbie
The tragedy of a man who believes he is living a tragedy.
THE BOOK LOVER'S TALE is the tale of Matt de Voy; book lover, interior designer to the rich, womaniser. But, is he a murderer? Read more
Published 11 months ago by Brida
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