A Far Cry from Kensington is the Muriel Spark novel to fall in love with
(The Guardian Books Blog)

Although astringent in places, this portrait of publishers and poseurs is also marvellously warm-heartedAfter some epic comment threads last week, I´m won over: you´ve convinced me that Memento Mori is a fascinating and impressive book. But it took a while to get to this understanding, and I still feel more admiration than affection for this sharp novel and its harsh wit. I have no such hesitation when it comes to A Far Cry from Kensington. I love Spark´s evocation of 1950s London and the postwar publishing industry. When I finished the last page, I actually said out loud: `That was just great.` It was, as Claire Tomalin proclaims on the cover of my old Penguin edition, `pure delight`. Related: Memento Mori is brilliantly sharp, but it is it too cruel? `A great many people fell in love with Hector´s pretensions, a surprising number, especially those simple souls who quell their doubts because they cannot bring themselves to discern a blatant pose; the effort would be too wearing and wearying, and might call for an open challenge and lead to unpleasantness.` Continue reading...