The Smart family are on their summer holiday in Norfolk. Trapped together in an awful house in a horrible village in the blazing heat, the cracks are beginning to show and the patina of their shiny life in London is looking more and more tarnished. One day, a strange woman called Amber arrives on the doorstep. Too wrapped up in their own lives to pay close attention, they each think the other has invited her to stay and before long she has made herself far more at home in their lives than they are. Amber is the catalyst by which each member of the family interrogates and begins to dismantle their own life. The novel is written in sections narrated by each member of the family in turn. Darkly funny, strange and often surprisingly uplifting, this is a gorgeous book that reminded me of works like Rumer Goden's The Greengage Summer, but with a distinctly more surreal twist.

The plot for this novel should seem simple enough: a stranger interrupts and family holiday, and instead of leaving right away, she stays for a long while. Then, as oddly as she arrived, she leaves. The novel is about the different relationships that each family member build with mysterious Amber. The opening to this book - well, there are two - is incredibly odd and eiree and strange, and I can see how this might put people off. But - stick with it! As you read more, it'll become clear what's going on, and Smith's writing is such a reward for your effort as a reader. In fact, parts of the novel are remarkably funny - look out for the 'author interview' with Eve, the mother. This is such a varied novel - the cover says it is funny, sexy, strange - and for once the promotional blurb on the front is true! I read this during a phase of not being able to find anything that I enjoyed - and it completely reminded me why I love books. Highly recommended!

I did enjoy this book, and it might be worth a re-read just to understand it better. The writing style is really cool though, with each perspective feeling well thought-out and engaging. There’s a nice fluctuation of tones and breaks to contribute to the journey Smith takes you on. She does a great job in showing the dynamics of a seemingly idyllic family, and their cracks and flaws, while dealing with an unexpected, but somehow welcomed, stranger. However, I don’t think it’s for everyone. The ending felt a bit sudden and not fully satisfying - and though a sense of ambiguity is always welcome by me, I felt more confused than interested. I think it lives up to what you’d expect of a Contemporary Western novel.

Couldn't get into this book, found the characters and writing style slightly annoying. Eventually I gave up and never finished it, which is something I've only once before.