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Product Description
'People like to think that money and love are opposites. Anna Moore, tax inspector A2 Grade, has come to be less sure . . .'
Anna is assigned to investigate John Law, code maker, code breaker and the world's first quadrillionaire. What follows is a lesson in generosity and greed, and a powerful discovery of love.
'One of the two or three most original and interesting young novelists working in Britain today.' A. S. Byatt, Guardian
''Engage, and you're hooked . . . Hill is that rarity, a novelist who gets better with every book. He makes reading a joy.' Tom Adair, Scotsman
'An intelligent, brooding novel that lingers in the mind.' Stephanie Cross, Daily Mail
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Customer Reviews
First the good news. The prose is beautiful, evocative and poetic and reveals an author of insight and great imagination. The plot, set some decades into the future, offers up an exciting and thought-provoking view of what may be not far around the corner for all of us. There is much that strikes home especially relating to the nature of integrity and sincerity and the role of money in our lives. The cryptographer himself is a Great Gatsby style of character with much of his enigmatic allure.
The not so good. The book struck me as rather sparse. The future world is drawn in outline rather than detail. The relationships are sometimes simplistic and not fully explored. The plot tended to stretch credulity too much : would the world's richest man's tax anomalies be investigated by a single Inland Revenue inspector going for a chat with the man himself (who then of course is strongly attracted to her) rather than a team of inspectors wrestling with an army of accountants and never getting near the great man? Ultimately (and not without some irony considering the themes of the book) it didn't ring true.
That said, I would in spite of everything recommend this book. Read it and judge for yourself. There is certainly enough to be admired in there, a mixture of beguiling writing and evocative ideas. This is clearly a most talented writer and I will seek out his future offerings. It's just that instead of good it could have been great.
But when it comes to structure and plot - this book is totally weak. It's not a thriller, as it is described on the cover, and it lacks any significant story. Plus, it really beggars belief at times - If tax inspectors carry out their work like the protagonist does, then they'd hardly get anything done. And I doubt that clients would be so friendly and so easily approachable, receiving tax inspectors at home!!!Very very very unlikely.
Looks like the poetry is achieved at the expense of the story-line. Basically, this book is like a ball of candy-floss: interesting and full of colour to look at, but it fizzles down to nothing in the mouth.
Yes the prose is almost poetic at times, and is a pleasure to read, though... Read more
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