'A novel about the darkness and dreams of big cities; about the gloom of lift shafts and the joy of elevation; about the dangers of perfect solutions and corporate hijacking . . . a great, grown-up novel with careful prose and a proper plot.' The Face ..'Colson Whitehead's unique fiction blends the politics of race with the poetry of the city, and the result is a compelling mix . . . certainly a writer who is going up.' The Times ..'Highly original, brilliantly comic . . . Colson Whitehead is an elegant and witty writer.' Evening Standard