Bournville: From the bestselling author of Middle England

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So overall, this story is a celebration of the UK, a reminiscence of our country and our people, and a reminder of how we have changed as a nation; it is also a family’s story: their loves, arguments, successes, failures, regrets, ambitions and achievements.

Like a murmurous river, like the incoming wash of the tide, a distant counterpoint to the swish, swish, swish of her broom on the step, a disembodied voice whispering in her ear, over and over, the mantra: Everything changes, and everything stays the same. and Number 11 , and family sagas such as The Rotters' Club and The Rain Before It Falls , his novels have won prizes at home and abroad, including Costa Novel of the Year and the Prix du Livre Européen (both for Middle England ). Il romanzo di Coe invece si legge con interesse non tanto per un coinvolgimento nei destini dei componenti della famiglia Lamb che ci lasciano abbastanza indifferenti, quanto per l’intensa rappresentazione dell’impatto emotivo, viscerale e difficile da recepire pienamente per i non-inglesi, suscitato dagli eventi che riguardano i Windsor, una partecipazione, anche da parte di coloro che ne criticano il potere, che non mi pare trovi un corrispettivo in Italia o altrove, se non verso singoli individui e non certo nei confronti di una casata intera. Some of the events chosen are more specific to England in their importance, such as the investiture of Prince Charles.The name of a village not just founded upon, and devoted to, but actually dreamed into being by chocolate. As Mary and Geoffrey’s children grow – we revisit the family for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969, then for Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1981 – the story of Britain’s “chocolate war” with the EU plays out. All the absurdities of our nation wrapped up in something as bitter, sweet, and addictive as a bar of the best Bournville chocolate -- Amanda Craig, author of The Golden Rule Affectionate, full of good humour, and often moving, this is Coe at his best.

I had heard good things about Jonathan Coe, this is was the first of his books I read, it will take a fair bit of convincing to get me back to it anytime soon.I can only guess, but it seems like Coe chose a topic and plot structure he couldn't bring himself to work seriously with in the end. I expected to enjoy this novel as I was born in the late fifties and was familiar with the events covered. Ma dov'è finito 'quel' Coe che decenni fa mi fece innamorare della banda dei brocchi o della casa del sonno?