by JoanBarfoot (Author)
At three o'clock in the morning, that defenceless hour when anything feels possible, the Idyll Inn's only sounds are the low hum and thrum a building makes to keep itself going. An uneasy hour, it is also the most discreet time for unsavoury acts. If all goes well, there will be no repercussions At three o'clock in the morning, four people convene in one room to do the unthinkable. All four harbour secrets - of betrayal, sex, fear, and guilt - but all four are united in their loathing of the director of the Inn. Fuelled by Sylvia's secret wine stash, they begin to confess to past demeanours, to abandonment and hope, to questions of love and loyalty. But then one of them asks a question that no one is prepared for...Exit Lines is a wry, funny but also terribly poignant novel about life's turning points and about how we adapt and change. It is about growing old disgracefully and tackles the 'Big Questions' with a refreshing lightness of touch.
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 336
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Published: 14 Aug 2008
ISBN 10: 0297847953
ISBN 13: 9780297847953
Book Overview: Perfect for reading groups - can appeal to fans of Elizabeth Buchan as well as Ali Smith, Alice Munro and Carol Shields, but also tackles big questions about women's fidelity, the aging process, charity and the value of life. Plenty of fodder for book group discussions! 'LUCK took me right out of myself - i read it in one gulp, and it never let me down' Alice Munro 'Barfoot, Booker long-listed for her novel, Critical Injuries, and admired by no less than Carol Shields and Alice Munro, is more than up to the challenge.Like the cult television series Six Feet Under and Desperate Housewives, Luck is a sustained, sardonic satire on mortality' Independent on Sunday 'From the start her comic talent is clear, while her eye for 'the miracle of life's sudden perfections' confirms her as a writer of considerable power. Luck is one of her best yet' Daily Mail Joan Barfoot has been longlisted for both the Booker and Orange prizes