This is the story of Drum and Carter and how their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren interact, from the 1950's to the present day. They are shaped by events of the times, particularly the Cold War, when Drum and Carter's National Service experience leads them to act in certain ways. They are not pleasant people - they are rivals and do deals with each other which have repercussions on their children. There are many detailed descriptions of sexual encounters which would be best left out in my opinion. The author has a very particular style of writing - it consists of short descriptive phrases in not quite complete sentences, which almost act like a stream of consciousness, but with punctuation. I found this distracting and although the basic story is worth telling, it is far, far, far too long. I was glad to finish it.

I'm always apprehensive when a novel is tipped for the big prizes prior to release but having read The Blind Light I wouldn't be at all surprised if it happens for this book. This is the long, immaculately woven story of two very different families against the backdrop of decades of social history. Whilst it deserves the superlatives it will undoubtedly attract for its scale and ambition, what really moved and captivated me was the visceral intimacy and humanity with which the author captures the interior lives of his characters. It is profoundly insightful on friendship, desire, family, ageing and class, with many passages of extraordinary eloquence. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys literary fiction that's not too rarified.