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Again - belly-laugh humour (398), followed by ominousness (404-6) and sadness. This book has it all.

Most of this book is unhinged (384), and then you get sudden very moving and human moments (381-3, 364-9) amidst the humour. As well as interesting political analysis; George’s brutal takedown of the “All Lives Matter” slogan was brilliant (342).

The whole episode from pp286-99 - George and Beverley’s painful conversation with their daughter’s boyfriend - is comedy genius.

This is laugh-out-loud, well-observed, and completely outrageous (233-4, 256-7, 261-3).

This is laugh-out-loud and completely outrageous. And very well-observed. (233-4, 256-7, 261-3)

John Boyne is brilliant (164-5, 216). “Even spaghetti is straight until it goes into hot water.” That’s a gay pickup line to straight men I hadn’t heard before(!)

This is so well-observed (118-9, 143).

This book is extremely well-observed (98, 101, 107). I’m loving it already.

This is already laugh-out-loud.

I’ll be so happy when this is over.

I’m not a fan.

Not a fan.

The arrival of Varvara Petrovna’s and Stepan Trofimovitch’s sons are causing hidden turmoil…

A bunch of Russian literary intellectual folk hang out in the evenings talking a whole lot of nothing. One wealthy Russian widow in the clan - Varvara Petrovna - her son turns out to be a bit of a wrong-un.

The plot twists come thick and fast! This is a reread, and I had forgotten half of them.

Wilkie Collins was one of the best of his day.

I adored Laura Fairlie the first time reading this. I still think she’s brilliant…but she could stand up for herself a bit more. Thank god she’s got Marian and Walter in her life!

I still remember reading this for the first time, and getting enraged at Mr Merriman’s legal bargaining. This story is so good!

It feels like a crime to stop reading this and go about life - Wilkie Collins is so brilliant.

Not a huge fan.