by Michael Ondaatje
This was a fascinating book. It did however fall into two parts. Part one set just after the second world war is full of Dickensian characters and Wilkie Collins mystery as Nathaniel and his sister are seemingly abandoned by their parents and looked after by various seedy characters.
The second part moves on to 1959 and Nathaniel is working for the government trawling through files to see what still needs to be destroyed to protect the history being written about the still recent war. It is also where he slowly unpeels what happened with his parents-or his mother at least. I found this second part of the book less convincing. Too many unresolved questions. Characters who are painted so vividly in part one fade away leaving you wanting more. What did happen to his father? The writing, as you would expect, is beautiful 8.5/10
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