What an entertaining read this was. Rather like a soap opera but more fun. If your feeling down, this is the book to read. How the other half live versus The Dingles in my eye's ( )

What an entertaining read this was. Rather like a soap opera but more fun. If your feeling down, this is the book to read. How the other half live versus The Dingles in my eye's ( )

The Square is a desirable location to live and behind the pristine doors different families cope with different issues. The lottery winners who bought the house but can't afford to keep living there, the eccentric artist and his muse, the bankers and their trophy wives plus an assortment of children and the obligatory au pair. Over the course of a few months the lives of the residents are laid bare.

Sometimes all one wants to read is a simple lightweight amusing book and this book fits the bill perfectly. Drawing on some of the ideas of 'Capital', Millard tells an entertaining tale but without looking much beyond the superficial, however that book isn't marketed as high literature so that isn't really a problem. It's a frothy, lightweight but fun read. ( )

The Square is a fun read based on a mythical North London Square, peopled by characters that stereo-type the chattering classes.

Jane is living the perfect life, loving husband, beautiful house and delightful son George. A not insignificant fly in the ointment is her ongoing affair with her neighbour's husband. Tracey and her lottery winning family are outwardly living the dream, but in reality struggling to cope and aging eccentric artist Philip and his equally aging Russian ex model wife. Their normally quite private lives are exposed when Jane decides to hold a Talent Show to raise money for communal fencing. As things spiral out of control the inhabitants of this privileged enclave are treated to a dose of reality.

This was a fun read, pretty much like an upmarket soap opera, think Albert Square meets Desperate Housewives. The plot lines alternates with the differing families and the activity leading up to the highly anticipated Talent Show. Some of the characters are more likeable than others, but one character stands out above all - George. He is a delight and reminds me of a male Joyce Grenfell, who has the naivety of an 8 year old and at the same time the turn of phrase of an Ealing Comedy Grand Dame.

The plot such as it is, is really designed as a vehicle to throw up the foibles of the assembled cast and to that end it works well. For anyone prudish there is quite a lot of romping and although it's largely of the "Carry On" variety, this might not be the book to buy Gran for Christmas.

If you want a fun read that takes a poke at those we we'd all like to see deflated, then this is for you.

I received a review copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review. ( )