just received in the mail; reading in October and will decide to keep/let go afterwards

I'm not actually going to rate this book, because it wouldn't be fair. I read into it about 100 pages, and although I thought the premise was interesting, it just wasn't something I want to finish. So now, it's available.

Book received. THANK YOU!!! When I finish it, I'll set up a bookring. Thank you again!

Instead of celebrating the mystical side of "sensitives," the people who travel England's contemporary psychic "fayre" circuit, Mantel (A Change of Climate, etc.) concentrates on the potential banality of spiritualism in her latest novel, a no-nonsense exploration of the world of public and private clairvoyance. Colette is a down-on-her-luck event planner fresh from a divorce when she attends a two-day Psychic Extravaganza, her "introduction to the metaphorical side of life." There, Alison, a true clairvoyant, "reads" Colette, sees her need for a new life—as well as her potential—and hires her as a Girl Friday. As Colette's responsibilities grow, and the line between the professional and the personal blurs, Colette takes over Alison's marketing, builds her Web site, plans for a book and buys a house with her. Colette also serves as a sort of buffer between Alison and the multitude of spirits who beleaguer her. (Alison's spirit guide, Morris, "a little bouncing circus clown," proves especially troublesome.) Mantel's portraits of the two leading characters as well as those of the supporting cast—both on and off this mortal coil—are sharply drawn. This witty, matter-of-fact look at the psychic milieu reveals a supernatural world that can be as mundane as the world of carpet salesmen and shopkeepers. (May)
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And my review:

The author is very clever, and I really appreciated the humor in the book, which sometimes is laugh-out-loud funny. I got about halfway through, however, and wondered where the story was going. There really isn't much of a plot - an obese psychic takes on an unpleasant young assistant, and they go from psychic fair to psychic fair, interacting with other psychics and some lowlife spirits who are "airside", and who torment them "earthside" with pranks and hilarious dialog. The assistant, Colette, is verbally abusive, and the psychic merely endures it good-naturedly. You never really feel as if you understand Colette and why she feels she needs to be so mean. And you never understand why the psychic, Alison, hired her and put up with her.

The point of view switches back and forth from Alison to Colette. Then, occasionally "she" says something, and you're confused over which of them "she" is - some of the writing needed touch-ups for clearer point of view. You also have unfocused musings by Alison that go on and on without doing much to either develop the character or give strength to the plot, nor do they add to the humor or the pathos. So I think the book might have been better with a little trimming and a little tighter focus.

All in all, it was a good read, but not (in my opinion) a great one. However, I enjoyed it enough so that I probably wouldn't hesitate to read another book by this author.