The ‘Covid novels’ have well and truly began, haven’t they? Hotel Milano by Tim Parks isn’t the only one I’ve read, but it’s the first where the whole story is based around the pandemic.

It begins with a man named Frank, who is drawn abruptly from his reclusive life in London for the funeral of a friend. The funeral is in Milan, and he makes hasty preparations to travel there.

Dan’s funeral has woken you up, I thought. And smiled. Woken for a wake.

Frank is an ex-journalist, and left the industry disillusioned. As a result, he doesn’t own a television or read newspapers… and so has no idea that as he flies to Italy, he is heading into the eye of the pandemic.

He checks into the luxury Hotel Milano and within days the city is in lockdown and travel has been restricted. Frank’s stay is anything but straightforward – beginning with the funeral and encounters with people from the past, to becoming embroiled in the complicated lives of other hotel guests and staff.

There were elements of the story I enjoyed – the growing sense of claustrophobia and frustration as the restrictions mounted was well done. We all know how the pandemic played out, but that didn’t detract from the sense of tension that Parks created. However, some of the subplots didn’t eventuate to much. I don’t necessarily mind a lack of resolution but in this case, particular characters seemed to be introduced for a purpose, only to have the story peter out.

The impact of significant age differences in relationships was focused on through a number of characters, and was also central to Frank’s reflections, but again it never resulted in anything meaty – there are no revelations, and in fact, the inclusion of a hotel guest, a young woman, and Frank’s interest in her is just plain icky.

Overall, uneven.

2.5/5

A gelateria was open for takeaway. I asked for chocolate rum and cocco.