We now know whom we can assume are the main characters. Nothing actually happens, although a scene is set. The first third of the book, essentially, takes place over little more than a day. On the other hand, I'm not so up myself that I don't think my judgement is better than all these literary critics, prize judges etc.īut I do think this is, so far, a case of Emperor's New Clothes. Struggling on for its own sake is stealing the time you should spend on reading a better book. I'm not one of these that 'never' abandons books. I am currently a third of the way though the book and tempted to abandon it. A lot of precious simpering around and the unfolding of events that were never properly explained - either 'why' did they happen, or why did one lead to another? Admittedly, I don't remember very much of it because it wasn't noteworthy. I saw the film of Atonement some years back and I found it quite puzzling. I've seen subjects as diverse as Local Government, Tour de France, bird watching, drug addiction, forensic psychology and Norse legends used successfully like this. An author could use their specialised knowledge to show the expertise in key characters. A book can conjure the essence of era, place, season or personal milestone. Other elements can help the enjoyment of a fiction but aren't necessary. Much harder to achieve than it seems, as can be demonstrated by convoluted or flowery language, or descriptions that seem forced or false. It appears to be simple, someone telling a story or describing something in straightforward clear unembellished language. In between is a standard which is unremarkable. Difficult to define but I know it when I see it and I also know it when it's not there. Other important factors start with grammar and syntax and move through paragraph structure into something called style. Ideally, there should be a strong relationship between the two, one influencing the other, but it can also be legitimate for a character to feel that the plot is happening to them and that they have no influence.

There are several elements that make up a good novel, The two most important ones are character and plot. These prizes are really important, because they indicate that certain novels are literature and not mere fiction they virtue signal to wannabe intellectuals what they should be reading in order to demonstrate their intellectuality and they obviously have insights into the human condition and the way of the world that mere fiction doesn't, especially not genre fiction. It's been nominated for all sorts of prizes, including the Booker Prize and the James Tait Black.

Millions Like Us by Virginia Nicholson