The Halt During the Chase

(Paperback)

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Description

Finally back in print, a shockingly wry and funny coming-of-age novel from the inimitable Rosemary Tonks, author of The Bloater Finally back in print, a brilliantly funny and brutal novel from the inimitable Rosemary Tonks, author of The Bloater Sophie's mother knows exactly how to needle her. Sophie's lover Philip knows how to stab her in the heart. She may be clever, charming and smart but is Sophie destined to be an eternal bit-part After a particular agonising throwaway remark from Philip, Sophie knows she must break away - from her mother, from Philip, from the snobbery of her well-to-do Hampstead Heath upbringing. Being good and agreeable has brought nothing but loneliness, now setting out alone might finally bring freedom. 'A bubbly, empathetic and ultimately lovely novel of a belated coming-of-age' New York Times 'Nobody writes about angsty women like Tonks' The Millions

Reviews

Her writing captured the pungent, punchy essence of that city in the Swinging Sixties * Paris Review *
The Tonks character is always trapped. As proud as Lucifer, and trapped. She may be on holiday in Italy with friends, or laid up with gout, she can as little escape as a character in a play can escape the footlights and the stage -- Michael Hoffman * Poetry Foundation *

Author Bio

Rosemary Tonks (1928-2014) was a colourful figure in the London literary scene during the 1960s. She published two poetry collections, Notes on Cafes and Bedrooms and Iliad of Broken Sentences, and six novels, from Opium Fogs to The Halt During the Chase. Tonks wrote for the Observer, The Times, New York Review of Books, Listener, New Statesman and Encounter, and presented poetry programmes for the BBC.