Human Croquet

A Novel

Paperback, 352 pages

English language

Published Aug. 21, 1997 by Picador.

ISBN:
978-0-312-18688-3
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4 stars (2 reviews)

Once it had been the great forest of Lythe - a vast and impenetrable thicket of green with a mystery in the very heart of the trees. And here, in the beginning, lived the Fairfaxes, grandly, at Fairfax Manor, visited once by the great Gloriana herself. 

But over the centuries the forest has been destroyed, replaced by Streets of Trees. The Fairfaxes have dwindled too; now they live in 'Arden' at the end of Hawthorne Close and are hardly a family at all. 

But Isobel Fairfax, who drops into pockets of time and out again, knows about the past. She is sixteen and waiting for the return of her mother - the thin, dangerous Eliza with her scent of nicotine, ArpSge and sex, whose disappearance is part of the mystery that still remains at the heart of the forest.

4 editions

Review of 'Human Croquet' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Once I settled in to this book and adjusted to its pacing (I almost gave up after the first 50 pages, which plot-wise offered little more than descriptions of tedious domestic bickering), I enjoyed the experience of the read. The continually-shifting reality of the story challenged how we perceive time, ourselves, and those around us. The story itself was not particularly compelling to me--I felt nothing more than mild curiosity about the various "mysteries" that popped up here and there--but the journey to the end was interesting. If you prefer a story with a strong, forward-moving plot, this book may not be for you; but if you can appreciate a book for its clever language--while also stomaching a healthy dose of WTF--you might find this one worth a read.

avatar for ChristinaO

rated it

3 stars

Subjects

  • Sagas
  • Fiction / Family Saga
  • Reading Group Guide
  • Fiction - General
  • Fiction