A modern story about age and sex with a disappointing ending. ( )

Having read Riddley Walker, which is complicated, intense and sometimes puzzling, this story really surprised me, as it is none of those things. I feel sorry for anyone who chose it on the basis of the blurb on the front, "A novel about internet sex", as it they may well have been left frustrated... It's actually a novel about an old man, and I found it rather sweet. As Harold lurches from one unlikely encounter to another he seems to be chasing an image of youth and innocence that he knows does not exist. Hoban develops the character of Harold Klein so that I felt empathy for him, despite his faults and ineptitude, however the other characters were not very well rounded, in particular Leslie, who seems to have been taken from the book of one-dimensional black male stereotypes... although I wasn't sure if that was intended to portray Harold's point of view. Overall a quite entertaining easy read - but not what I expected from a Russell Hoban book. ( )

Of all of Hobans books that I have read I liked this one the least. The story was simple & straight forward. Not very inventive or original. Just Blah. ( )