I kept dipping into this but couldn't get the thread which is another way of saying it didn't "get me on board". I wish it had pulled me in as the description made it sound interesting. I guess I could say, not enough acceleration at the start for me. ( )

What a book! I am so glad I discovered Tessa Hadley before I die. She writes so well about relationships, about thoughts, conversations, feelings, things done and things not done. Sure, it's in the context of middle class UK, but I relate well to that environment. I'm just amazed that more people haven't given it 5 stars, but I suppose that's largely reflecting my particular stage of life, and also the fact that I have very little need for a lot of action in a story - although there are plenty of things going on - drama, mystery, love, politics, etc. I think a lot of readers are put off by the fact that many of the characters are 'unlikable' or behave in ways that annoy the reader. But I am interested the nature of relationships, why people annoy each other and behave in irrational and silly ways, so observation of such behaviour can be very appealing to me. ( )

I loved this. I love the intimacy she creates between the reader and whatever is happening on the page and the level of detail she includes- several times I looked up from what I was reading and was surprised to find myself at home, not in Wales. Or in London.

This is the kind of novel I will push on friends and strangers relentlessly. ( )

I was not a fan of this book. The dialogue was weird, it was not well written, and the stories (it was in two parts) were kind of ridiculous. ( )

I was not a fan of this book. The dialogue was weird, it was not well written, and the stories (it was in two parts) were kind of ridiculous. ( )