Riveting? Gripping? Despite what the reviews say about this book, it has been one of the most boring reads of the year for me. You can see where the plot is going after the first few pages but it takes ages to get there and by the time you do get there, you couldn't care less. The characters are flat, stereotypical and not likeable at all, which doesn't help. I still can't believe this book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, it is definitely one of the worst reads of the year for me.