Thwarted ambition and disappointment is the theme of this novel, which some reviewers have labelled as lad-lit. I think that’s a tad harsh. David Pinner teaches English, is unlucky in love, and writes a vicious art review blog The Damp Review. He bumps into his former teacher from Goldsmiths art college, Ruth Marks, now a successful New York-based artist. She’s old enough to be his mother but he becomes infatuated. She falls for his better-looking, bartender flatmate James Glover, a committed Christian. The novel gradually turns into a psychological thriller feeding off David’s jealousy and bitterness towards people “To Whom Things Come Easy.” Soooo......this is probably one that should be read twice to really "get it". There's a lot happening between the three main characters; and David Pinner, the main character, is such a true little shit. I'm definitely laughing more in hindsight than I did while reading along. If you like fairy tales, this won't cut it. Being fairly jaded, I thought the ending very appropriate. Sorry to say, the art stuff just flew over my head--not my world at all.
