The very feelings of this book somehow remind the ‘The End of the Affair’ by Graham Greene. Not only because of the same theme both the books are based on, that’s love, lust and betrayal, but the narrative style of the storytelling also. Though similarities does not ends here only but there is no doubt that it’s a interesting read and gives a close glimpses of different shades of human behaviour.
It is a story set in the backdrop of resort town, Palm Beach, in Australia. This is the Summerland, for the two young and wealthy couples Hugh & Helen and Richard & Pup. Richard is the storyteller, who narrates stories about their growing up days together, his strong bond with the Hugh and the hatred he feels for him and strange equations these four friends have with each other. Story proceed in zigzag motion, giving pieces of events here and there to left the reader with utter curiosity to keep on reading to know how these pieces are going to be fall in place to come to some conclusion.
Though it’s the relations, who took the centre stage in the story of Summerland but it also deals with the issues like class differences, the snobbery and hollowness of so called elite class, frauds for moneymaking and the worthlessness of money in some sense. Summerland is a good read and keep the reader occupied with its simple but very engaging style of writing.