text: Gaylife on the English countryside is like everywhere, you never know when your BF (boyfriend) gets bored with you. The battle with London's competitive nightlife makes you reguarly ask yourself: "What have I to offer"? The efforts to entertain your BF are as tiresome as the question how organize your own life so it won't get dull. And once you got things fixed you yourself run into this willing guy.  The tragicomedy the Spell tells the story of four men, Robin, the ageing architect who enjoys his life together with his younger BF Justin, a witty layabout, Robin's son Danny, a georgeous body dealing in superficiality and Justin's former lover Alex, a well-mannered young man in search for consistency. To find out if they all get what they want is a truly delicious way to spend your time. The story is written out of the perspective of all leading parts and therefore very nicely ballanced. Hollinghurst is gifted with a great sense of attentiveness. His characters show many different moods caused by tiny events. Every self-assured attitude is merciless exposed. I recognized myself and my friends many times without realizing this ever before. It made me smile and reassured me. I think this is Hollinghurst's most post-modern novel. Unlike the Swimming-Pool Library's sexual odyssee this is a splintered glimps into life and how down to earth it can be
  