Good old Waterstones Book Club- it has come up trumps again. It's been a while since I read a genuinely funny, easy-going book in the vein of Nick Hornby; I've decided that I need more comedic novels in my life. Also, while reading is an escape, it's also occasionally satisfying to delve into familiar territory. Every Londoner will appreciate the truth of Lanchester's observations; every non-Londoner will gain an uncanny insight into this multi-cultural, multi-faceted city.
Capital is actually a collection of short stories, all linked by living on the affluent Pepys Road, located by an undisclosed London Common. Not only that, but they are also brought together by a strange, harrassing postcard with the words 'We Want What You Have': especially ironic, considering every recipient seem dissatisfied with their lives. This element of 'mystery', as all the characters deal with this random intrusion in their own ways- while they are trying to deal with their own everyday issues- will instantly connect you to these characters, and keep you hooked until the very last page. The true beauty of the novel has to be the sheer range of characters that live on Pepys Road: from a city banker, to an elderly widow, to Pakistani newsagents...and then all the characters that they are linked to: a Polish builder, a Banksy-esque artist, a Hungarian nanny...the reader is treated into a humorous, yet realistic insight into every Londoner imaginable.
Effortlessly funny writing is hard to find- and it can be found in abundance in this novel. You will leave this book with a sense of London's incredible diversity- while realising that, apart from personal problems, a country in turmoil is a country united.
