I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a debut novel this much since David Mitchell’s Ghostwritten. Bradley’s, novel is an exploration of time travel, climate change and belonging and the allure of ‘antique lads. A rip-roaring yarn which doesn’t shy away from issues to keep the plot moving along. The writing is very funny, but the light-touch does nothing to diminish its power. The characters are boldly drawn and sympathetic. The style is a little unpolished, which suggests not only a light touch by the editor, but also the excitement of getting the story down on the page.
The interaction of the ‘ex-pats’ from history with the modern world is genuinely comic gold – a Victorian explorer telling ‘a man on an e-scooter he was riding a coward’s vehicle’ is an image to treasure.
Signed copies available while stock lasts.
Humphrey Barber (Carpenter, Reader and Occasional Bookseller)