Death, psychosis, apocalypse — it’s a strong mixture for a novel. In the hands of a writer less capable than Edward St Aubyn, it would probably add up to a fatal dose for a book that you were actually hoping to read and enjoy.
Happily, St Aubyn — the author of the Patrick Melrose novels, including the Booker-shortlisted Mother’s Milk, and the brilliant satire Lost for Words — is more skilful than most. His new book, Parallel Lines, revolves around the twin stories of Olivia and Sebastian, one a radio producer facing challenges and complications in her personal life, the other recovering from a severe mental breakdown.
