Cashel Greville Ross certainly gets around. A revealing shock during his childhood takes him from Ireland to the battle of Waterloo in 1815. Other adventures include joining the East India Company, meeting Lord Byron in Pisa, being sent to a debtors' prison and trying to find the source of the Nile, not to mention finding and losing the love of his life. A rattling good read by a consummate storyteller.

An amazing read following the colourful life of Cashel Greville Ross from the killing fields of Waterloo to the searing heat of North Africa in an attempt to find the source of the Nile. Boyd is the master of whole life stories and each page is another discovery as Ross enlists as a soldier, becomes a farmer in the US, and has limited success as a published author. However it is his love affair with the beautiful Ravenna that holds the reader's attention until the final pages as we discover how chance, time and lost opportunites all come together to dictate the direction of the life of Cashel Ross. A brilliant book and highly recommended!

I believe William Boyd is one of the best contemporary authors and his talent as a storyteller is remarkable. The Romantic is Boyd on best form; an engrossing tale packed with characters and adventures that take the reader literally into unknown lands. It’s a physical and metaphysical journey as the central character travels the world and develops as a man, spiritually and morally. It’s adventures within an adventure as he moves from one diverse location to another, facing different challenges along the way. It’s packed with historic detail and I was swept along by a beautifully written and very clever tale. For me, this book has the same magic as Any Human Heart. Its huge in scope and Boyd teases the reader in the same way. Step into this narrative and travel with Cashel; it’s a mind twisting journey and never disappoints. I loved it and will read it again as there’s so much to take in. My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Cashel Greville Ross is raised by his aunt in Ireland after the devastating loss of his parents whilst still an infant. She moves them to England where he continues his education. When he travels to London he joins the army and thereby becomes involved in the battle of Waterloo. His travels take him from India to Europe where he decides to write a travel memoir. This book gives you a glimpse of life in the 19th century with a richness of detail that immerses you into Ross's life.

Another epic journey through life. Boyd provides characters like no other author. Ross, an hopeless romantic, looking for the perfect life. An unconditional Boyd fanatic. Brilliant book.