An alternative world tale in which the Reformation never happened and England enters the 20th century unrepentantly Roman Catholic ... and almost pre-technological. Only in the free state of New England across the Atlantic has electricity been harnessed; it is there that the industrial revolution is taking place. The novel tells the story of a young boy (ill-) fated to be castrated for the Holy Choir and his attempt to flee repressive England for the free west. Entertaining and lighter than it might sound.

I thought this was funny. The following is PART of Oakesspalding's review of this book. Many thanks for astute comments, Oakes.

Here is a another alternate history, where the Roman Catholics are in charge. And Amis doesn't like them: A lover teaches a woman to experience "love" (orgasm) and the Catholic secret police castrate him; two grotesque Vatican supported castrati put pressure on a young boy to become one of them; the Puritan American colonies are havens of innovation and free-thinking, and so on. This book is sharp, well-written, moving, and of course funny--it is Amis. This is a well-written and deeply moral book ( )

Here is a another alternate history, along with Pavane, by Keith Roberts, where the Catholics are in charge. And Amis doesn't like them: A lover teaches a woman to experience "love" (orgasm) and the Catholic secret police castrate him; two grotesque Vatican supported castrati put pressure on a young boy to become one of them; the Puritan American colonies are havens of innovation and free-thinking, and so on. This book is sharp, well-written, moving, and of course funny--it is Amis. I am a Catholic sympathizer, but I repect Amis's effort to sketch out, let us call it, the worst-case scenario. Amis once said that it's not that he didn't believe in God, rather it's that he hated Him. Understood. This is a deeply moral book. **** ( )