A review by carolinerd
A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Maurice Swift wants to become a successful writer and will do whatever it takes to achieve this.  He ingratiates himself with influential people in the literary world, exploiting and manipulating them then callously casting them aside when they have served their purpose. He steals other writers' stories and passes them off as his own. He is a fascinatingly loathsome sociopath who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. His behaviour becomes more and more twisted as the novel progresses. Just when you think you have seen it all, he shocks you again. 

It paints an interesting picture of the literary/publishing world, capturing the rivalries and bitchiness, the pretentiousness  and snobbery and the obsession with literary prizes. The cutting exchanges between Maurice and the other characters are quite funny at times.

Actually, Maurice isn't the most horrible character in the book. Watch out for Rebecca, his sister-in-law, who is even more hateful and toxic. Then there is Maja, a particularly unpleasant creative writing student and Erich, the elderly author who grew up in Nazi Germany and has a chilling secret.  I can't remember the last time I read a book with so many unlikeable characters in. 

It is certainly a dark, disturbing read but also utterly compelling.