The Swimming pool library

[alastair]

Has anyone read this ? What is it like ? How much is it about the aristocracy ?

[Phaedra's Love]

I LOVE THIS NOVEL! The protagonist is a young gay aristocrat, William Beckwith. Absolutely handsome and arrogant, but his wit and charm is irresistible. He saves an old man who has a heart attack, and the man turns out to be a Lord Nantwich, and they develop a friendship (no sex between them, he's an old chap). Nantwich asks William to write his biography for him. As William reads his diaries, he discovers his intriguing experiences that entangles with William himself's past.

That's my summary. It may be in my top five, less uh pompous than The Line of Beauty (though I also loved that one. I adore Hollinghurst), more direct and casual since it's in first person. William is so witty and I've giggled out loud several times during the reading.

Aristocracy, you'd definitely find more in The Line of Beauty. But since William & Nantwich are both of aristocracy, you do get some taste of it. They're all posh as hell, for one.

I'd like to hear other people's opinions on this novel as well. Anyone read it?

[Pecksie]

Nope, but I bought it some time ago and it's on my shelf... Will keep you posted :)