Paperback of the day

Gabriel's Gift is in one obvious aspect a sequel to Intimacy, Kureishi's story about the break-up of his marriage. Where previously the action involved a man preparing to leave his wife, here it takes place after a father has walked out of the family home. And this time it is the abandoned child's story.

At first it looks as if the gift in the book's title means actual magic. After his father has left home, Gabriel finds the pictures that he draws beginning to materialise for real. But the apparitions pass. Fifteen-yearold Gabriel discovers that his talent is, more substantially, for saving his parents from their failure.

Where his father, Rex, once had talent and squandered it, and once had a family and squandered that too, Gabriel refuses to let go of either. He develops the ability to trick, reprimand and cajole his useless parents back together again, changing the world just sufficiently to make it right.

Kureishi has stumbled on a piece of poetic licence, a technique for taking his unusual craft to a new place, for turning his inward eye out, for credibly expressing happiness.