In this astutely observed first novel, Lodge ushers in a vivd cast of characters, who play out the harsh and sometimes humourous realities of city life against a flickering backcloth of celluloid fantasies.

Kindly donated to the BookCrossing cause yesterday by Sam via Freecycle.

This will be read and rest awhile in my David Lodge collection, waiting replacement by a non-BC copy. It will then be put onto the shelves at the Hudsons OBCZ, where we like to leave books by Birmingham authors, or the Electric Cinema.

Excellent first novel, a little patchy but with the usual Lodge themes of religion, how far you can go, family... and it's all set in a thinly-disguised Brockley, South London, which is where Lodge grew up, and I lived for a good few years. There's some genuine tension and good observation here; he adopts different voices, slightly, at times (a good slosh of Joyce in there) which he was to go on to do more formally in The British Museum Is Falling Down. Very enjoyable. I will put it in one of the OBCZs as planned.

RELEASE NOTES:

Giving to caroline080 at the meetup to put in the Electric Cinema OBCZ

Electric Cinema OBCZ now closed. Have given this book a temporary home.

Have not read this. Plan to release to OBCZ, Hudsons, BMI, Birmingham.

RELEASE NOTES:

On OBCZ shelf, which is on the left, about halfway down the room.

I got this book from Caroline080 at Hudsons, BMI Birmingham. Will be passing it on to another Bookcrosser who was interested in it.

Sorry this should have been released ages ago!

Now available in the Official BookCrossing Zone at Hudsons Coffee House, Colmore Row. The books are on a tall, thin set of shelves to the left of the arch into the back section of the coffee house.

If you have picked up this book, thank you for visiting the website. Please take a moment to let us know you have the book - then everyone who has had it previously will know where it is! Then post a review when you've read it, and pass it on to someone else when you've finished it. If you join BookCrossing, you, too, can see where it goes next...

This is no longer on the OBCZ shelf. Marking the book as travelling, pending a journal entry, in case anyone goes to look for it in the meantime.

If you have picked up this book, thank you for visiting the website (and the cafe!). Please take a moment to let us know you have the book, then post your review when you've read it, and pass it on to someone else. If you join, you'll be able to see what's happened to it afterwards - for ever!