A Week in December - by Sebastian Faulks

This was a reasonably big book, which might have daunted me if I hadn't got it as an e-book. As it was, the book, whilst challenging, kept me turning the pages.

There is quite a large number of characters, whose lives we follow through a seven day period. Lots of things happening in parallel, with various links between them, which are sometimes known to the characters, but often they are unaware. I enjoyed the challenge of following all the threads.

Some particular points:

• There was someone who was going to get an OBE from the Queen. He got a letter signed "You obedient servant". He visualization the Queen discussing the award with the PM and saying "Send for the Obedient Servant and command him to dispatch a letter". I liked this picture.
• I thought that the description of financial stuff, like short selling etc., was clear and interesting.
• The Veal family is very disfunctional. I do wonder what the daughter is up to. There is a strong drug message from the story of their son.
• There are interesting parallels drawn between Islam, Adam's schizophrenic world and Jenni's online game.
• I think that every character has a near-miss with a bicycle with no lights. This was an interesting link, but I do not know what it might mean. A metaphor for the fragility of life perhaps?