It is definitely a real piece of literature and I enjoyed reading it. I did not like all of it, and I am not sure if I actually want to read more of Martin Amis after this book, but that has nothing to do with its quality rather with its masculinity and sadness. I loved the atmosphere which Amis has created! I could feel the heat of Italian air and the mixture of boredom and excitement and of course the horniness of all the characters. It is not a book one want to swallow in a day: it does not have the plot which would capture the reader. I would say it is more like a good martini - you want to sip it little by little, taking your time to think it through and enjoying the effect.