This is an ambitious, idea-heavy novel that lands as a mixed but worthwhile read. I enjoyed most when it narrowed in on character, and less when there were multiple threads all running together.
Plot in a Nutshell
Sophie, an arts journalist, is reporting from the Edinburgh Festival while house-sharing with her colleague Alex, a theatre critic with industry influence. After Alex publishes a harsh review of a performer, Hayley, he then sleeps with her. This encounter becomes the catalyst for the novel’s central conflict. When Hayley realises who he is, she reshapes her show to expose the hypocrisy and power imbalance at play. As her performance gains traction, Alex’s professional and personal life begins to unravel under public scrutiny.
Thoughts
What I enjoyed most in this novel was Alex. He is sharply drawn: recognisable, frustrating, and entirely believable. Runcie captures a particular kind of man I suspect we have all known. One who is confident in his authority, careless with it, and chronically unwilling to examine himself. Even as consequences gather, he doubles, then triples down. There’s something almost compulsive in watching him continue to drink, posture, and deflect, all while speeding up the journey to his own undoing.
Hayley, too, is initially a strong presence. Her decision to rework her performance in response to Alex is novel. She refuses to be diminished and cleverly flips the critic-performer dynamic. Through her, the novel explosres who controls a narrative and how platforms can be repurposed. That said, as the story progresses, she begins to feel less like a person and more like a caricature drawn by her new fans.
Sophie, as narrator, is more difficult. I think her role is to act as a moral intermediary, someone caught between loyalty to Alex and a growing awareness of the harm he causes. She is meant to evolve. But in practice, her storyline feels broader that it needs to be and she herself unnecessarily passive. The internal conflict, particularly her hand-wringing over her position drags and her personal arc with boyfriend Josh never quite justifies the space it takes up.
I really enjoyed the setting of the Edinburgh Festival. It allows everyone to be a little removed from their usual selves whilst creating a bubble where unusual behaviour is accepted but ideas and interactions amplify. It was also refreshing to read a novel with strong nods to culture wars and cancel culture in an arts setting versus the slightly more common social media context.
Thematically, the book is crowded but undeniably high energy for that. It has a lot to say, and not always with subtlety. The most effective thread is around power and exploitation in the arts. It lasersin is on the influence critics can wield, and the casual irresponsibility with which that power can be used. Alex’s ability to shape careers sits uneasily alongside his personal behaviours.
Alongside this is a broader interest in public versus private selves. Alex’s critical standards are exacting, maybe even correct, yet his own behaviour falls well short of the ideals he enforces. The lack of self-awareness here is deliberate, and at times uncomfortable to observe
There is also a clear thread around accountability, particularly in a gendered context. As Alex finds himself scrutinised and judged, the narrative flips familiar dynamics. Runcie puts him in the position of having to justify himself against accusations he refuses to recognise. There’s a pointedness to this, a feminist undercurrent that challenges who is usually asked to explain or defend their actions.
At times, though, the story can feel overfull. Moments that might have landed with more force are instead diluted, and the lack of subtlety in places makes the argument feel more told than experienced whilst some interesting threads remain unfollowed. I would happily have swopped Sophie and Josh for more insight into Alex and his mother’s relationship for example.
For all of this it remains an interesting and thought provoking read, but one that might have benefited from a smaller cast list or a few less ideas.