A strange book. It seems, from the start and throughout, that the author is trying to say something through the characters, their perceptions, their behaviours, but it never becomes at all clear what it is he wants to say! Each character is very much a 'type', indeed a stereotype, which is also the case with locations and settings. All seem to be there to tell us what Brown doesn' t like about the world he lives in, but I could find no message (clear or otherwise) about whether - and if so how - the author would want things to change. It all ends unhappily ever after! ( )