Left of the Bang

Claire Lowdon

In this most London of novels the city's twenty-somethings take centre stage. Weaving together their stories through their relationships, ambitions and insecurities, and told through multiple points of view, which are clear and distinct, it's a very honest portrayal which doesn't attempt to gloss up its characters in any way. The characters here may not always be likeable, but are strangely intriguing.

Extract

Leah and Chris were as surprised as anyone else to find themselves together. Perversely, the deal-clincher was the disastrous sex. On the night of the roller-disco, Chris was too drunk and too wounded to engage in anything more complex than a kiss, so Leah put him to bed on the sofa in the sitting room with his arm propped up on the coffee table. Their next date was a quieter affair: a gastro-pub supper followed by drinks at a little-known jazz club. Boo's Basement had been recommended to Chris by Andre Fillion, a fellow Riflesman and Miles David enthusiast. Hours of aimless improvisation, with no lyrics or power chords to speak of, was hardly Chris's idea of a good night out.

Parallels