Keith Stevenson reviewed Capital by John Lanchester
Review of 'Capital' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Not being a big reader of literary novels, I have this idea that works defined by others as 'literary' should have something to say ie they should be about something, reveal some fundamental truths about life, or whatever the focus of the book is, and the best of them should make us look at something mundane or strange in a new way. Maybe I'm fooling myself. Capital reads like a mass-market, white collar update of Coronation Street (or Neighbours if you want an Australian example). It's soap opera, and not very exciting soap opera at that. The writing is clunky, the chapter structure repetitive and I didn't feel I gained any new insight to anything much at all. Capital is, unfortunately, very boring indeed.