Penelope Lively cleverly uses the Butterfly effect to show the consequences of one random incident on a disparate range of characters.
Charlotte the elderly victim of a mugging reminisces on life and the effect of ageing. Higher on the social strata is Henry, who though even older and lacking self-awareness, also comes to feel his influence waning and his reputation slide as the years pass.
Though the primary theme is ageing this book is about so much more. In keeping with modern fiction the pace is quite fast as action switches between the character groupings but the writing throughout is elegant.
This book is a delight. Who better than Penelope Lively to express what is ahead for us without sentimentality but leaving much scope for human strength.
Charlotte the elderly victim of a mugging reminisces on life and the effect of ageing. Higher on the social strata is Henry, who though even older and lacking self-awareness, also comes to feel his influence waning and his reputation slide as the years pass.
Though the primary theme is ageing this book is about so much more. In keeping with modern fiction the pace is quite fast as action switches between the character groupings but the writing throughout is elegant.
This book is a delight. Who better than Penelope Lively to express what is ahead for us without sentimentality but leaving much scope for human strength.