Changes

|title=Skios

|author=Michael Frayn

|borrow=Maybe

|isbn=9780571281411

|pages=288

|publisher=Faber and Faber

|date=May 2012

|summary=Not even Frayn's mastery of farce can prevent this from being anything more than a light holiday read. Clever, if madcap, plotting cannot hide stereotypically cliche characterisation and a disappointing ending.

}}

Set on a Greek island, a cultural foundation is preparing for the biggest event in its year at which renowned academic Dr Norman Wilfred is due to give the keynote speech. Also heading to the island on the same plane is Oliver Fox, a morally vacant but charming Lothario, who has arranged an assignation with a girl who he has met for only five minutes but has invited to spend a week with him at the villa that he was due spend a week with his ex-girlfriend before she threw him out. But when the girl sent to collect Dr Wilfred from the airport, Nikki, turns out to be irresistibly charming Oliver decides to play the role of Dr Wilfred and follow her to the foundation while the real Dr Wilfred, minus luggage is transported to the villa at the other end of the island. Someone still has to give the speech though - will it be the real Dr Wilfred or the fake Dr Wilfred?

The sending up of academic pomposity is also a feature of [[Solar by Ian McEwan]]. While perhaps not vintage McEwan, it's still worth reading.

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