Less by Andrew Sean Greer

"A teaching post, a conference, a writing retreat, a travel article, and so on. And, like  those Sicilian nuns who, once a year, appear behind a little curtain, singing, so that their families can gaze upon them, in his study, in his little house, for Arthur Less a curtain lifted upon a singular idea."

If you are asking yourself.."hmm... should I read the latest Pulitzer Prize winner?", might I suggest the answer should be a resounding yes. This is a brilliantly rendered story that reminds me of the Peter Pan aspects of my own life. Those of us who aren't pre-occupied with progeny - the girls who've not yet "met mister right", the boys that like other boys and can't afford, or don't wish for a surrogate. Some might feel our lives are a little dull - newsflash they're not. We still feel the same struggles, we just tend to look a little less wrinkled while doing it. Arthur Less is our spirit animal.

I am madly in love with  Arthur Less - I mean we have so much in common  - failed novelist ( let's face it I'm not even at the point where I've got to the novel - its a pipe dream at this point), romantic basket case looking for a relationship's positives without the long standing negatives. Honestly, if he wasn't a gay man, and was instead a lady of a certain age - well the story would be way too personal. I might even blush.

This novel brings a delightful mix of comedy and pathos that just drew me in wholeheartedly. I felt pain, amusement, disdain - I just felt a hell of a lot and still managed to laugh with mischievous abandon. My biggest complaint in relation to the book, was the fact that it wasn't longer. Lately it seems so many books are overly lengthy like they're trying to make up for some other kind of inadequacy - this is the exact opposite.

Arthur makes the most of his past relationship with a much lauded poet, to discover an out from the wedding of his most recent lover to another party. His ex was the adopted son of his biggest enemy, and inappropriately young, who knew that the relationship ending could have such an impact.It's funny how you can fall into seemingly inappropriate and "free" situations that turn out to be the exact opposite.

Having finished the novel, I just want to fall back into the story again and spend some more quality time with Mr Less. That however, will have to wait as sleep is making far more vociferous demands.

 5 out of 5 holidays are a good way to avoid uncomfortable situations.