I’m astonished I haven’t heard of Magnus Mills before. He writes in the best traditions of English humour, mixing it with sinister touches of the kafkaesque.
It is one of the novels I discovered while compiling my Yorkshire-The Lakes reading list for our Christmas trip.
The story is set in the Lakes, and deals with a young guy who spends a few weeks camping by the lake, before starting on his trip to India. As all tourists leave, he decides to stay for a few days more. To while away the time he accepts a few odd jobs from the locals that never seem to end.
There is not much happening in the book, but the atmosphere gets darker as the story progresses. There is a lot of English politeness that hides loads of aggression. Simple and clear language only highlights it. The reading became unbearable for me at some point - there was so much exploitation and broken boundaries. In the end, instead of feeling for the main character I started hating him.
I find the book a must for those interested in British literature. And I’m really curious about Mills’ other novels.