A Partisan's Daughter - Louis de Bernieres

Louis de Berniers never fails to move me and while this is not his best work it is remarkable in its ability to truly understand what People are like. It's a baffling journey through the unlikely relationship struck up between a sad, lonely, middle aged man, Chris, and a sad, lonely young woman, Roza, who have been brought together in the most unlikely fashion. Chris, who is apparently not the kind of man who picks girls up, on impulse and thinking that Roza, a young Yugoslav girl living in Archway, is a prostitute (which indeed she once was) clumsily attempts to proposition her. They form a curious attachment and during Chris' frequent visits, Rosa spends ...  Read the complete review

Stuck in a boring and loveless marriage to a wife he now calls "The Great White Loaf", medical rep, Chris, finally decides - after years spent considering it - to pick up a prostitute. Driving around North London one night he spots Roza ands pulls up along side the pavement. Roza isn't a working girl, though, but something about Chris and his sincere apology makes her get in the car anyway and ask Chris to drive her home. Touched by Chris's embarrassment Roza decides that he's not like other men and as she gets out of the car she makes an open invitation for Chris to drop by for coffee, but not before telling him that he couldn't have afforded her anyway - when ...  Read the complete review