When a lion from London Zoo eats an unemployed city broker a train of events is set in motion. This story is set in 1990s London - in a city peopled by a rich and varied cast of characters, from the City, journalism, the criminal world, advertising, music hall and the East End.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Cynicism worthy of author Martin Amis and convoluted plotting reminiscent of TV's Fawlty Towers blend in this darkly comic yarn. Narrator Tim Curtiz, an American expatriate, writes a hip, caustic column about London for a New York magazine. One of his contacts is "Simba" Cochrane, who became a minor celebrity during the 1930s after killing a berserk lion with his pen-knife. Tim becomes obsessed with the lion-as-symbol, which he sees echoed in Britain's unicorn-and-lion, a London Zoo scheme to euthanize African lions, an elderly lion's escape from captivity and urban lion-sightings. Meanwhile, Tim acts as spokesman for the "American Eagle" credit card, and supplements his own story with views of other Londoners' lives--although everything, no matter how far-ranging, slyly reconnects with his lion fixation. British author Cartwright ( Interior ) pours on the witty metaphors, offers barbed remarks on England's class system and immigrant population and entangles subplots (one character, for instance, goes from a sleazy investment-banking career to a sleazy Thai kick-boxing scam). Droll, verbose and unmistakably British in approach, this novel will be familiar yet delightful fare for fans of BBC-style situation comedy.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
His life-in-Britain column and credit card endorsements bring success, but expatriate Tim Curtiz believes that the cheery images he crafts for American audiences obscure ratty, frightening truths about contemporary London as observed from the comfort of his new Mercedes. Tim switches abruptly from spectator to actor in city life when seemingly random events connect him with a wild mix of London inhabitants, among them a superannuated music hall actor, an escaped lion, a beautiful ad writer, Thai kick boxers, and a woman who knew a woman who sold Charles Dickens a herring. Assumptions are overturned and metaphors collide hilariously with reality in this dark comedy of modern manners, leading ultimately to an unexpected but satisfying resolution. Admirers of Kingsley Amis, Roddy Doyle, or David Lodge will enjoy Cartwright's work. Recommended for most libraries. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/93.
- Starr E. Smith, Fairfax Cty. P.L., Va.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Starr E. Smith, Fairfax Cty. P.L., Va.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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