There is a sadness about the ending of the book that comes from the clever switch from triumph to failure.
Click. Bone’s problem in his head makes it difficult for him to remember anything even when it has been good and as a result he goes back to some sort of basic programme even when circumstances have changed.
The skill in Hamilton’s writing is not only making you care about a character that to all intents and purposes is a loser but for you to keep caring right until the end. There is also a light touch at work here that allows you to discover just how brutal Netta is without laying it on too thick.
But the other dimension of the book I won’t forget is the picture it paints of a country literally on the eve of war. There is a denial about international events that is not just limited to those boozing in the pub. When war is declared you sense the great wheels of fear and excitement turning across London and that is a thrilling backdrop to the last few pages.
A review will follow soon…
