The perfect balance of tightness and colloquialism . . . Likely to be the best modern version of Dante

Kirkpatrick brings a more nuanced sense of the Italian and a more mediated appreciation of the poem's construction than nearly all of his competitors

We gain much from Kirkpatrick's fidelity to syntax and nuance... His introduction...tells you, very readable indeed, pretty much all you need for a heightened appreciation of the work

Wonderful writing...there is not much fiction around that is as good as this

Delightful...this is rich prose which demands thought. It's also wickedly funny and a great read

Quite brilliant in every sense of the word

A very funny book about a sensitive subject ... Ben Elton the writer might even be funniter than Ben Elton the comic

Something rarer than a great novel -- it is a perfect novel, so well told and beautifully written, so deeply moving, that it takes your breath away...few stories this sad could be so secretly triumphant, or so exhilarating.

A beautiful and moving novel, as sweeping, intimate and mysterious as life itself

The most extraordinary work of fiction I've read in a long time... If you're looking for a book that's simple and subtle, warmly human and at the same time utterly pitiless in his rendition of the vicissitudes of an ordinary existence, here's one you will read again and again

Unquestionably one of the finest novels of the 20th century, its genius lies in its candour and in prose that simmers with subtle intent.

The word-of-mouth hit of the summer. Read it and you’ll see why

It’s as if this novel is about all of us: our hopes, disappointments and sorrows… a lesson in values, told with love and awe

A wonderful novel, rich and sombre, a record of pain and less but also of moments of vision and tenderness... flawless

This short-but-striking novel quickly reveals itself to be…crime fiction, yes, but also a subtle and deeply introspective consideration of the inertia of lonely middle-age, its philosophy existentialist in the manner of Jean Paul Sartre, Ingmar Bergman and certain novels of Georges Simenon. The result is a highly complex and accomplished work

Intriguing tale… Solstad expertly navigates the bizarre mind of a clever but lonely man locked in an existentialist nightmare

This is no straightforward crime novel…an exploration of guilt, inaction and moral quandaries