Whimsically devastating. Playful, humorous, serious, profoundly clever and profoundly affecting

Remarkable. A brilliant novel: funny, serious, always surprising, always true

I take my hat off to Ali Smith. Her writing lifts the soul

A playfully serious or seriously playful novel full of wit and pleasure. Wonderful

Eccentric, adventurous, intoxicating, dazzling. This is a novel with serious ambitions that remains huge fun to read. The writing dances along

Poignant, empathetic, funny. A book full of kindness and compassion

Fizzying, affectionate, sparkling. Smith presents her world view in words as fresh as lemons. A joyful read

A tour de force

A virtuoso piece of writing, both funny and gripping . . . Smith is a writer with a rich array of conventional strengths

A must read

Charming and quirky

Definitely one to watch

Hudson’s ear for language…raises this debut novel well above the average

Janie’s irrepressible, childish glee and the sly humour into which it evolves give the novel a wry self-awareness that is both refreshing and endearing

A gripping, often hilarious tale of growing up in the slums of Aberdeen. Hard to put down owing to the power of the narrative, its DNA is part Roddy Doyle/part Irvine Welsh

A sumptuous novel. Read it for the sentences and smarts, and for the copious sexy parts

Everything I want from a love story: sexy, convincing, baffling, funny, sad and unforgettable

Banville's exquisitely written novel unravels the deceptions of memory with wit and pathos