''Brilliance on every page'' Samantha Harvey
''Spare, visceral, urgent, compelling. This book doesn''t f**k around'' Gary Stevenson
‘So brilliant and wise on chance, love, sex, money'' David Nicholls
‘How do I get out of a reading slump? This is the book to do that’ Rhianna Dhillon, BBC Radio 4

Through chance, luck and choice, one man’s life takes him from a modest apartment in Hungary to the elite society of London – in this captivating new novel about the forces that make and break our lives

Fifteen-year-old Istv�n lives with his mother in a quiet apartment complex in Hungary. New to the town and shy, he is unfamiliar with the social rituals at school and soon becomes isolated, with his neighbour – a married woman close to his mother’s age – as his only companion. As these encounters shift into a clandestine relationship, Istv�n’s life spirals out of control.

Years later, rising through the ranks from the army to the elite circles of London''s super-rich, he navigates the twenty-first century''s tides of money and power. Torn between love, intimacy, status, and wealth, his newfound riches threaten to undo him completely.

''A revelatory novel'' Sunday Times

''So much searing insight into the way we live now'' Observer

‘Refreshing, illuminating and true’ Financial Times

''Compelling and elegant, merciless and poignant'' Tessa Hadley

‘Utterly engrossing and I read it all in a day’ 5* reader review

‘I was hooked and tried to read this book with any spare moment that I had'' 5* reader review

A ‘Best Book of 2025’ in the Guardian, Observer, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

AlmostAll1stEditions
United Kingdom

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

AlmostAllFirstEditons, 25 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BS, UK, almostfirst@hotmail.com ph.004479-
31562243.
PayPal and money orders accepted, credit cards processed through Abebooks. All books are returnable
within 30 days of receipt if not as described and if returned in the same condition as sent. Shipping
charged at cost, insurance mandatory for books over �500. No handling fees. All books are first editions
unless otherwise noted. All items subject to prior sale.

Shipping Terms

Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	14 to 45 business days	6 to 14 business days
First item	US$ 36.63	US$ 36.63

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.