Perhaps it’s the reviewer rather than the book, but all the names mentioned suggest this should be A History of the Novel in England. As usual. www.theguardian.com/books/2026/a...
A History of the Novel in Britain by Philip Hensher review – a masterpiece of criticism
This joyous book takes readers on a literary adventure across 300 years of fiction, from Defoe to Zadie Smith
theguardian.com