LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 'Cusk can pinpoint something profound with the merest detail.' Independent 'A warning against idealism, brilliantly plotted and eloquently narrated.' Scotsman 'This deft, haunting work compels on every page.' Daily Mail When eighteen-year-old Michael visits the Hanbury's remote family home he is captivated by their bohemian lifestyle. Years later, when he marries the strong-willed, beautiful Rebecca, he is secretly hoping to create his own version of that free-thinking family, but after the birth of their first child, their marriage begins to flounder. The chance to escape once more to his friend's country house comes as a welcome relief, until he discovers a family changed and his own romantic notions of country life disintegrating.