The Amateur Marriage (by Anne Tyler)

(Amazon UK link)

Unusually for Anne Tyler, there are quite a number of characters in the novel I have just finished reading, 'The Amateur Marriage'. However, it mainly revolves around Michael Anton, who is a rather awkward grocer's son. He falls suddenly in love with the flighty Pauline, and then enlists in the army for World War II.

The novel follows their rather tempestuous lives, their children, and even grandchildren, over a space of more than fifty years. As always with this author, there are some clever observations that made me stop and think alongside the storyline.

There were also some caricatures that were real enough to make all the main characters immediately recognisable. I suppose, too, that there's an element of social history since it's set in a particular time period.

I found the story a bit slow to get going.  Part of the reasons was that so many minor characters were being introduced, as well as some almost indistinguishable extras. Still, I thought it was well worth reading, and by the end I found it difficult to put down.

Recommended.