And yet, by the end of a novel that alternated between intensely annoying me – Tassie is no more a convincing 20-year-old than Philip Roth is a convincing Paris Hilton impersonator – and utterly captivating me with its stunning writing and acute observations, I had come to realise that, just like Momus's book, the jokes were absolutely vital to the success of this novel.
Joe Fantetti "This had me weeping, shivering, smiling and utterly captivated throughout its length".
I found myself returning to Stanton's story, utterly captivated.
I was certainly utterly captivated by the voice when I read it.
In search of the wilder edges I found myself utterly captivated by Dan Pearson's garden with his trademark naturalistic planting.
I found myself utterly captivated by his story, and I loved the transgressive surprise ending (which I won't spoil here).
Perhaps it's somewhat down to Thomson who is, as always, a blast of charisma – but I'm utterly captivated by Paige.
The ball they are giving may be glamorous, but Mabel's parents are down-to-earth and utterly captivated by their little girl.
The audience and I are utterly captivated and I later learn that she is an amateur opera performer who was once asked to sing for Chairman Mao.
Indeed, if that winner didn't happen to be the moppy-haired boy from Belfast who has utterly captivated the galleries, then every golfing headline for the last two days would have been screaming "Tiger".
With his wavy gray hairdo, light-colored suits and distinctive ties, and with an unusually forthright speaking style for a Japanese politician, Mr. Koizumi has utterly captivated this nation with a pledge to institute "reforms with no sacred cows".
