Thomas explores some promising premises... a brooding atmosphere of fear permeates his novel in a constant drizzle of menace

Thomas effectively details the breakdown of established codes of behaviour and the depths of depravity to which humanity can sink... a gripping story

This bleak scary and frequently moving novel has a lot of life in it

A talent worth watching

Thomas shakes concepts of 'normality' to the core. It is a challenge indeed for an author to capture authentic teenage dialogue... compelling subject matter

A riveting and often moving read... The narrator's voice compels the narrative - he's a hugely likeable charachter... this is the best of its type that I've read in a long while. I'll be very interested to see what Thomas writes next

Most career girls, past or present, will respond with the shock of authenticity

The book is a fantastically entertaining and witty read, following the lives of three young women, Caroline, Gregg, and April working on the New York publishing scene as they search for love while trying to succeed in the metropolis ... the book's portrait of young women at a vibrant stage in their life, their excitement, fun, struggles and friendships in the city, is accurate and timeless. A fabulous summer novel best consumed poolside with a cigarette and martini

There is an old-fashioned feeling to this readable and well-written novel

Boyne's twinning of the subjects of homosexuality and conscientious objection is inspired

Boyne skillfully draws a thread through from sexual to moral to social shame... he tells a good story

A really enjoyable, if rather sad, read, full of historical and human interest

Felix Quinn, the narrator of the book...explains it beautifully - and this is a very good novel... Feeling unsafe makes him feel alive. And loss, of course, is the wellspring of good storytelling

The Act of Love is an ambitious and at times extremely uncomfortable novel

It is an almost frighteningly brilliant achievement. Why did the Booker judges not recognise it?

This is a very good novel

Jacobson's 10th novel is a moving, thought-provoking and darkly witty story of desire and love