Title: The Stars’ Tennis Balls
Author: Stephen Fry
Grade: B+
Blurb from the Back:
’We are merely the stars’ tennis balls, struck and banded
Which way please them’
John Webster, ’The Duchess of Malfi

Pure Stephen Fry, this is the story of Ned Maddstone, a very nice young man who is about to find out just what hell it can be to be one of the stars’ tennis balls. For Ned, 1980 seems a blissful year. Handsome, charming, popular and talented, his life is progressing smoothly, effortlessly, happily. And when he meets the lovely Portia Fendeman his personal jigsaw appears complete.
But timing is everything in life, and his life is about to change forever. Things are going to get very bad indeed for innocent young Ned. A promise made to a dying teacher and a spiteful trick played by fellow pupils will rocket Ned from cricket captain to solitary confinement, from headboy to hell. When Ned emerges he is a man bent on just one thing – revenge; and revenge is a dish he plans to savour and serve to those who conspired against him.

First Sentence:
“It all began some time in the last century, in an age when lovers wrote letters to each other sealed up in envelopes.”



So. Anyone who truly knows me, knows that I am a huge Stephen Fry fan. Love him.
This is the first book of his I’ve read. Borrowed it from the library, hoping to get Moab is My Washpot, Fry’s autobiography. I quite liked this book. Fry’s voice as narrator is excellent. He’s got such a dry wit, honestly. It was a thriller, I guess, which is why I’m not jumping up and down for it – because I’m not hugely into that genre. But definitely interesting, engaging, funny and generally a good read. I liked the identity crisis bit as well.
If your out for a book about revenge, read this. Lots of good twists, stellar observations and philosophies... I’ll definitely be reading Stephen Fry again. He’s irresistible.


(P.S. Oh I know I’ve hardly posted. Sorry. I’m planning to be a better person this year. Hope the rest of you will post as well. We love the book reviews here, don’t be shy)