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Capital

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About this listen

Shortlisted for: UK Author of the year – Specsavers National Book Awards 2012

Pepys Road: an ordinary street in the Capital. Each house has seen its fair share of first steps and last breaths, and plenty of laughter in between. Today, through each letterbox along this ordinary street drops a card with a simple message: We Want What You Have. Following the residents of Pepys Road, Capital features a cast of characters that you will be sad to leave behind.

©2012 John Lanchester (P)2012 W F Howes Ltd Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Funny
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I was astonished by the detail in which John Lanchester has managed to capture the London life, in all nuances, layers and in such detail. I listened to this book with such interest, unable to put it down! It was such a true description, I lived in Clapham for more than six years myself, and then in the area for over 11 years, so it really felt like I had a closer glimpse into my neighbours' lives! It is more true for Clapham than anywhere else in London that the change for the past couple of generations is unbelievable, and this area is still climbing up the market, with property prices going through the roof!! This is a collection of stories about London life, so colourful, so unpredictable! I almost did not believe when I came to the end of the book, as I if expected the stories to go on, a bit like reality tv, it was addictive to have this peek into other people's lives.

He just managed to capture the London life in full

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This book is full of good ideas but is perhaps let down by just how many of those ideas there are. Some of the characters and stories are great but some are a bit clichéd and you find yourself inevitably looking forward to getting back to the bits that interest you more. It's especially puzzling when you look back on the (long) book and realise that some characters only appeared once or twice.

I found a couple of the storylines quite predictable although that didn't necessarily detract from my overall enjoyment. And I would have liked more well-drawn female characters who I felt (with the exception of one touching mother and daughter storyline) were somewhat two-dimensional.

Overall definitely worth reading: enjoyable, great pace, funny and moving in places. But somehow not quite as satisfying as I wanted it to be.

I thought the read was really good. I both read and listed to this book and the two slotted together perfectly, in large part thanks to the quality of the read.

Lots of good ideas

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This is a fun, holiday-reading book, but not more. If you are thinking of reading this because you enjoyed Whoops, you may disappointed: the background is the financial crisis, but it is very peripheral. Basically, the only connection is that the lead character (a rather likeable as against vile banker) loses his bonus because of the economic problems, and loses his job because one of his underlings trades illegally with bank money. Lanchester is NOT a banker (he's a writer), and he simply trots out the clichés about bankers, rather than any inside story (a la Michael Lewis). He brings in all the hot-button London issues - house prices, illegal immigration, terrorism, and he spins an amusing yarn, but at the end of the day, not very much substance. It's a bit like the Casual Vacancy from JK Rowling, a competent, contemporary novel.

Narration: perfect.

Light entertainment

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great story.
fantastic voice and use of accents.
great understanding of the London life.
very funny and profoundly inspiring.

I regret my other 5 star ratings !

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What did you like most about Capital?

The weaving of the different characters' stories to build up a picture of life in Pepys Road.

What other book might you compare Capital to, and why?

The minute attention to detail is similar to John Lanchester's first novel The Debt to Pleasure or any Tom Wolfe novel.

Have you listened to any of Colin Mace’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Any of the chapters with Roger and Arabella are hilariously written.

Capital read

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