Nilus Moore, the narrator is in his mid teens and still at school as he starts his account. His mother has recently died, and he lives with his father, but it seems Nilus' world is falling down around him. Their large house is crumbling away while the other houses in the street are being demolished, and his father has taken to his bed, living on garlic cloves and brandy. Putting on the pressure is Nilus' uncle, his father's twin brother, who wants to demolish their house for redevelopment.

As Nilus approaches the end of his school days he struggles both to keep his home together and maintain his sanity. His bedroom, at the very top of their house is his refuge and which he keeps immaculately clean, where he is constantly checking to ensure that the sheet folds on his bed are in order, and where he watches over his near impossible 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. He also has to contend with his aunt and uncle's interfering, his pregnant cousin and her estranged boyfriend, an aging priest and other odd characters.

Nilus is an appealing character, especially as he efficiently tries to take on such heavy responsibilities for one so young. However not all is as it may appear, the subtle clues are there, but they might easily be overlooked.

This is a captivating, witty and often very funny story that repays careful reading. ( )

This was a very dark and tedious story about a young Irish boy who lives with his father in their decaying house.
After the death of his mother, he has retreated into the refuge of his room, where he plays obsessively with an enormous matt-black jigsaw puzzle. He sees its orderly perfection as an answer to his loss and shambolic life. His drunken father has taken to his bed, while his scheming uncle plots to demolish their house around them to make way for a modern development.
I just wanted to slap the lot of them and tell them to get a grip! ( )