Desperate Characters

I know I am coming late to this party, but this is easily one of the most stunning novels I have ever read. The story is interesting and cohesive, the characters feel recognisable and real, the writing is masterful. So far, so good. Then, in addition, the issues that throw modern life into relief and test all of us are held up and examined before our eyes: a partnership is dissolved, a lovely neighbourhood is positioned flat up against an area of poverty and disorder, a traumatic animal bite repays an act of kindness, a much loved home is invaded and senselessly vandalised. All these things taint "the good life" we work so hard to achieve. Just how fragile is the life we want for ourselves? Everyone should read this book. It is a rare treat.

Though fifty years plus in age, the book is quite possibly more relevant than it was then, reminding us that the Western human condition hasn’t budged an inch, in fact, it’s become far more desperate. So, in many ways this book is snapshot not of stasis, but of strangled aspiration. Even that doesn’t really exist anymore. Worth reading again and again.

Looks like jpg file

This is the worst printing I've ever seen. It's unreadable - unless I want to spend the remains of my eyesight straining.The publisher should be ashamed to send this out and the writer must be embarrassed. I really wanted to read this book but I'll have to wait until I find a copy I can read.

On the one by publisher Flamingo there's very bad print quality, looks like a print of a photo. Blurry text. I'm sending it back.