Date: 16 August 2010
This novel begins with the reintroduction of the Lampton family who featured in the 2009 collection of short stories Singularity. It is very satisfying to explore this family’s relationships in more depth. The uncomfortable but loving relationship between Simon Lampton and his adopted daughter Elke is especially intriguing. The Lampton family becomes involved with David Hallwright and his fascinating wife Roza. David is a successful businessman who wants to become Prime Minister. The Lampton’s are involved with the election campaign which causes discomfort for Simon Lampton. Many other fascinating characters appear, some also from the short story collections - a very clever device. I found this to be a very gripping novel. The descriptions of Auckland are brilliantly evocative. Highly recommended.
VS