It might be dismissed as a minor work, but Amis is such a skilled writer that even this busman's holiday has its literary tricks. ' Really an enjoyable light read the subject is reminiscent of 'The Wicker Man', pagan Britain gothic, but Amis' touch is lighter, more humorous. I didn't care for the plot, the suspense wasn't suspenseful, the characters irredeemable, and there was nothing remotely humorous as promised. It came so highly recommended and it was by Kingsley Amis, whose Lucky Jim is a classic. ' I expected to like this book so much more than I did.

' I have to say that I approve of the elder Amis over the younger. ' Yet another K Amis genre novel, this time a horror novel. It holds your attention well and in places is a little frightening, even for gnarled old horror readers like me. This novel blends mystery with ghost story. This is a great book with real character and humour- a good read for any ghost story fan. As the novel goes on the events at The Green Man become more and more bizarre, as Dr Underhill makes contact with Maurice. Maurice Allington runs The Green Man Inn, a medieval building in which he begins to experience some odd events. ' The Green Man is an interesting little book. Not like his schlepp of a son, who'd rather build a house of cards. Kingsley's like the third pig when it comes to building a story. Overall Performance: Narration Rating: Story Rating:.I highly recommend this book even if you don't like horror.' Although this book was recommended to me because I am a horror fan, I wouldn't call it horror, although it does have elements of the supernatural. 'What a fun read! The pace of the book is quick, the narrator someone you can just slide into liking, despite his despicable character, and the setting feels immediately comfortable. The Green Man is a ghost story that hits a live nerve, a very black comedy with an uncannily happy ending: in other words, Kingsley Amis at his best. Maurice’s problems are many and increasing: How to deal with his own declining health? How to reach out to a teenage daughter who watches TV all the time? How to get his best friend’s wife in the sack? How to find another drink? (And another.) And then there is always death. The Green Man opens as Maurice’s father drops dead (had he seen something in the room?) and continues as friends and family convene for the funeral. It’s a pretty arresting thought.” He also happens to own and run a country inn that is haunted. As he says, “I honestly can’t see why everybody who isn’t a child, everybody who’s theoretically old enough to have understood what death means, doesn’t spend all his time thinking about it. Maurice Allington has reached middle age and is haunted by death.

The green man amis novel