The first Jonathan Coe book I read, after hearing about it on A Good Read, which must have been well over ten years ago. Although I've read it since then, I've obviously not read it for at least ten years, because it's not on my list of book reviews.

I'd forgotten that the title of this book is the same as the name of a piece of art that’s integral to the plot. Like What a Carve Up! and The Rotters Club (and maybe The Closed Circle too?).

There were Rather a lot of coincidences: I was sort of expecting this, having remembered from reading it before, so I think I was more conscious of them. I can see why Tim might not like this book. But even though I knew (or at least I thought I knew) that it would end happily, I still ached for Sarah and Robert to get together: I found myself really hoping that it would work out.

I remember A Good Read talking about the management consultant workshop that Gregory Dudden goes to. This wasn't as funny as I’d expected/remembered. But I'd forgotten how that was only a relatively minor episode, and was surprised at how much of the rest of the plot I'd forgotten. As well as the workshop, I remembered rat experiment, and the scene where Ruby sees someone on the bench and has a moment of recognition, and the “Bitch” at the start of the book, but had forgotten loads of the rest of it including the footnotes mishap, what happened to Veronica, what happened in Sarah’s life, the thing about twins… I had completely forgotten about the bit where Robert/cleo invites Sarah back for a reunion. I assumed they wouldn’t get together until right at the end.

But I loved the book (again).

Completed : 23-May-2015 (audiobook)