This is HARD work. About a third of the way through I was close to giving up. Hits its stride in the second half and becomes much more engaging - maybe it's a slog because there are so many characters to be introduced in 1st half. Worth the effort even though it was a battle.

Fantastic. Just fantastic. Alan Bennett is the master and this is just great in every way.

I'll be honest: I thought this looked like it was going to be rubbish. My friend was reading it and I judged it on the cover (we've all been there) of a soft focus picture of a woman and some letters and I thought 'meh'. I couldn't have been more wrong. It's 100% worth the read. Lesson learned.

A classic. Fantastic observation of society, people, greed. People don't like it because it's a reflection on the horrors of human nature. No one likes to see themselves that way. It's a little too close to the bone And Fitzgerald is the master of dishing out the unpalatable, old sport.

I almost wish I'd never read this so I could discover it afresh again. One of my all time favourite series. This is the first in a series by an author who I believe is seriously underrated. Excellent eye for people and dialogue. Brilliant easy reading. Love it and the whole series

How I managed to get to 35 and not read this, I don't know. Fascinating, engaging. What a masterpiece.

Loved this book. Drew me in and kept my attention. I felt invested in it and didn't want it to end.

Absolutely fantastic book. I couldn't put it down and when I'd finished it, I was haunted by it, I missed the characters. It moved me to tears. Cannot recommend it highly enough. It's a companion novel for Kate Atkinson's Life After Life. I'd read that first and loved it too.