The Debt to Pleasure - John Lanchester

With the release of John Lanchester's third novel, Fragrant Harbour, it is about time someone redressed the fact that no-one has yet reviewed the first here. That task I have taken on myself, and for this you should be grateful. The Debt to Pleasure is one of the worst books I have read this year, and certainly one of the most over-rated hits of modern literature. Perversely, all the critics splashed over the cover have the book down as a riotous comedy. Yes, there are two or three chuckles, and I particularly liked the one at the expense of Derby on p36, but for the most part it is dreary hellishness to read. Our narrator, Tarquin Winot ...  Read the complete review