An average read in 1999.

I found this an entertaining story in the first few chapters – Hugh’s early childhood in the Cameroon beginning with the gorilla incident – his transplantation to pre-war England at the age of seven to the home of his eccentric uncle who is obsessed with the wildwood and paganism – the leopard society which carries out human sacrifice – but between pages 139 – 417 where Hugh goes through the war, gets into acting, becomes a director and goes insane, I lost the sense of adventure and discovery.

It felt as if pages 139 – 417 were more about the writer developing the character of Hugh and exploring his interest in the old religions rather than unravelling the secrets of his tangled past. This section of the book could perhaps be described as a metaphysical mystery but it did nothing to move the story along.

At the end of the novel the letters written by Hugh’s mother to her brother explain the gorilla incident and Hugh’s origin.

Mr Thorpe is an excellent writer and he did get into the part but somehow I felt he didn’t really act out the story. Clearly I was looking for something other than what Mr Thorpe was offering but perhaps I would benefit from re-reading this novel at another time.

General Fiction Novel
Published in 1998
Jonathen Cape, Random House ( )

Not the masterpiece (and I mean MASTERPIECE) that was 'No telling', but nevertheless avery engaging and in parts horrifying read. There is almost too much going on here - we perhaps don't need the ghosty elements of it, but if one couples the spot on childhood memoir with the fantastic aging/senile passages, there is some ferociously brilliant writing. I strongly reccomend this book to anyone whio likes their books to have a good story wioth stylistic and structural surprises. ( )