Adam Thorpe’s contemporary novel of romantic deception is well-written and intricately constructed, which will come as no surprise to readers familiar with his other novels. In Jack Middleton he successfully creates a not entirely sympathetic narrator with a number of irritating character flaws, yet Thorpe’s skill is to make him utterly believable.
The unintended consequences of Jack’s transcultural love affair with Kaja, a young Estonian waitress, create a series of ripples across his ordered married life. Thorpe’s characterisations, particularly of his ensemble cast are well-observed. I particularly enjoyed the characters of Milly Du Crane (Jack’s wife) and Howard (Jack’s friend), both of whom have a real depth and vibrancy.
One minor gripe concerns the somewhat oblique prologue which I felt compelled to re-read more than once throughout the novel, trying to decipher the connection. Perhaps that was Thorpe’s intention, but for me it felt less than satisfying, and I normally enjoy time-shifts.
Overall I would recommend this book, and on the strength of it I have now bought “Still” (which looks to be a fairly mammoth undertaking).
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