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Title: Oh Dear!
Review: I know I can blame nobody but myself, but I was taken in by the interesting title and the reviews on the back: 'One of the few world-class British writers alive today. This is club class Ballard. You really have to buy it.' Let me tell you, you don't. The 'plot' was completely ridiculous and far-fetched - people are bored so let's set their houses on fire and steal their possessions, then they'll all want to star in porn films and play tennis! Hmmm, logical eh? Not only that, but the dialogue was appalling - I'm yet to meet anyone who talks like the characters in this book, and if I did I would probably tell them to shut up immediately.The back cover also tells me that this was shortlisted for the 1996 Whitbread Novel Award. I can only assume that my book had the wrong cover.This is my first (and last) Ballard novel and I could list you a great many better British writers than him. Save your money. (It gets one star for the reflective cover).
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