Little Boy Lost

Marghanita Laski

Little Boy Lost
Format
Paperback
Publisher
Persephone Books Ltd
Country
United Kingdom
Published
22 September 2001
Pages
240
ISBN
9781903155172

Little Boy Lost

Marghanita Laski

‘When I picked up this 1949 reprint I offered it the tenderly indulgent regard I would any period piece,’ commented Nicholas Lezard in The Guardian . ‘As it turned out, the book survives perfectly well on its own merits - although it nearly finished me. If you like a novel that expertly puts you through the wringer, this is the one.’ Hilary Wainwright, poet and intellectual, returns after the war to a blasted and impoverished France in order to trace a child lost five years before. The novel asks: is the child really his? And does he want him? These are questions you can take to be as metaphorical as you wish: the novel works perfectly well as straight narrative. It’s extraordinarily gripping: it has the page-turning compulsion of a thriller while at the same time being written with perfect clarity and precision.‘Had it not got so nerve-wracking towards the end, I would have read it in one go. But Laski’s understated assurance and grip is almost astonishing. She has got a certain kind of British intellectual down to a tee: part of the book’s nail-biting tension comes from our fear that Hilary won’t do something stupid.The rest of Little Boy Lost’s power comes from the depiction of post-wr France herself. This is haunting stuff.

This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in approx 2 weeks

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.