The book’s attempt to charm has the opposite effect. The mad excess Greer seems to be aiming for in his extended early descriptions of the villa, for instance, is tiresome and stodgy — and this from a writer usually so light of touch ... There is only a story of friendship to give order to the chaos, with the result that when events of significance do happen — a sudden death, a daring heist, incriminating revelations about the fictional Baronessa’s past — they get lost in the crush.
Do you fancy reading a funny, charming novel to take your mind off things? The American author Andrew Sean Greer reckons he can answer your prayers ... Does he pull it off? The answer is… hmm ... The problem with this, and with Greer’s aim of making us laugh, smile, enjoy, relax, be charmed and so on, is that for all the frantic antics, it’s not really funny very often. He does do his best ... It feels forced, as though Greer decided to write a funny book, then pressed his will on the material rather than letting the story and characters decide what they wanted it to be ... Overall it’s a step down from Greer’s intentions.
Richly descriptive, wonderfully written ... Splendidly paced, this bildungsroman is, in keeping with Greer’s signature qualities, funny, moving, and quietly profound from start to finish.
