Ignore the critics' opinion for a while, and look at a novel from the pointof view of the would-be reader. A critic is the only person who reads apublished book because she or he has to; that's their job. But for everyoneelse, that book is something they would only read away from their jobs; it'ssomething they do as part of their leisure time. There exist, and hopefully forthe future of literature, there will always be, a few people who genuinely feelthat this leisure time is best spent wading through French philosophy,Shakespearian sonnets or whatever version of High Art they like their books totake. For a far greater number of people that time to call their own is farbetter used in pursuit of more easily absorbed pleasures; sport, food, thecinema, the company of friends, a tall cold glass of beer. Books do come intothe picture, but only when they offer appropriate escapism and entertainment ata price that compares favourably with all the options that jostle for inclusionin what is, for most of us, a very limited time available for leisure.