LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE

Cusk can pinpoint something profound with the merest detail. Independent

A warning against idealism, brilliantly plotted and eloquently narrated. Scotsman

This deft, haunting work compels on every page. Daily Mail

When eighteen-year-old Michael visits the Hanbury's remote family home he is captivated by their bohemian lifestyle. Years later, when he marries the strong-willed, beautiful Rebecca, he is secretly hoping to create his own version of that free-thinking family, but after the birth of their first child, their marriage begins to flounder. The chance to escape once more to his friend's country house comes as a welcome relief, until he discovers a family changed and his own romantic notions of country life disintegrating.