A great performance by Sam West

This is a beautifully written book. Excellent descriptive passages and good characterisations. The story within a story works well. Sexuality is explicit and not for the easily offended. However the overall excellence is surely due to the masterly reading and performance by Sam West.

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A consummate talent

Wonderful book, perfectly narrated. I was so grateful for it's length, not wanting to let go. Can't help but feel that AH's (stunningly written) graphic and lengthy descriptions of sexual encounters have to be self indulgence; if so, he richly deserves this pleasure. (I am a female heterosexual, just for the record) I only wish that Samuel West had narrated H's other novels - for me the two are forever joined.

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2 people found this helpful

Beautiful writing . Pointless story unfinished

Disappointing tale that is left in mid air as if Hollinghurst just lost interest.
The ending will leave you aghast and wondering why you bothered.

Possibly a little excessive with the sex which
doesn't really add much to the plot but this was early "free" queer literature.

Although rather tedious in parts an interesting set of interwoven plots and deeply human reflections leaves you to believe something truly exciting or shocking is going to happen. Unfortunately, in a typical art over substance style, he takes you up the garden path and leaves you there, mid story, high and dry.

The characters especially the protagonist aren't at all likeable and are quite typical of a London set of middle and upper class, virtuous, judgmental, saccharin and rather sad old Queens, still found lurking around today in the queer clubs and gyms.

Shame, it could have been so much better.

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Exquisite

A perfect experience. Samuel West's narration is very Hollinghurstian. I love this intriguing, gripping, moving book and this brilliant performance. The sex bits are genius and so are all the little jokes.

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3 people found this helpful

Overall good, but lacks direction

Not the best Hollinghurst, but enjoyable all the same. Very much a period captured book.

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first class read

so well written and was so pleased a friend recommended it to me. highly recommended

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A glimpse of gay history

A really addictive book. a clear insight into the period and the frisson that continually abounded. I found it quite moving.

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Funny and Warming

Really enjoyed listening to this book. The characters are interesting and believable, especially Will who I think most people will be able to liken to a friend of their own. Think I have a good incite into what the gay scene was a few decades ago in middle class London. Felt a little cheated with a sudden ending, really wanted more. Other than that a really great 12 hours listening to this great story.

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6 people found this helpful

Quite wonderful

I first read this I think around twenty years ago, so coming back to it; I’d forgotten quite a bit of it. A very clever story within a story, spanning generations of the lives of gay men, with love, sex and the criminalisation of homosexuality with quite clever plot twists. It’s no holds barred is quite refreshing; so much discourse of homosexuality sanitises by removing the sex; which is the cause of homophobia so rather pointless to my mind. I would recommend this and Hollinghurst in general.

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1 person found this helpful

Delicious Language

Loved it, very evocative of the time, some vestiges of which I experienced myself in the late 90's. Bravo

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