I thought this was going to be 'Notes on a Scandal' (Zoe Heller) for men. I thought it was going to be a slightly sordid tale of a Pooterish older man lusting after a teenage girl.

Well, our retired bank official did begin in a slightly risible way, making lists, checks and balances, coming over as slightly fussy and old-fashioned. Long married to a now sick and bed-ridden woman for whom he still has much affection, he meets and falls in love with Bernadette, clever and insightful, but definitely from the wrong side of the tracks. Little by little, Bragg helps us believe in the quickly-developing love affair. Our nameless hero manages to convince as the lover of the younger woman. She manages to convince us too that her feelings are real and lasting. The reasons why it all goes wrong seem horribly real too. At the end, we're not sure what will happen after we've turned the final page. A satisfying read. ( )

סיפור אהבה בין נערה בת שמונה עשרה ו"זקן" בן 54. לא כל כך טוב כפי שנדמה מהכריכה, אבל גם לא כל כך רע כמו שזה נראה באמצע הקריאה. ( )