The Hippopotamus by Stephen Fry

What the cover says:
"Ted Wallace is an old, sour, womanising, cantankerous, whisky-sodden beast of a failed poet and drama critic, but he has his faults too.
Fired from his newspaper, months behind on his alimony payments and disgusted with a world that undervalues him, Ted seeks a few months' repose and free drink at Swafford Hall, the country mansion of his old friend Lord Logan.
But strange things have been going on at Swafford. Miracles. Healings. Phenomena beyond the comprehension of a mud-caked hippopotamus like Ted..."

I really really wanted to love this book as much as I love Stephen Fry, but I found it quite tricky. Didn't get into it until past half way through, and found it quite meandering up to that point. From there on in it slowly gripped me and I loved the last 2 or 3 chapters. I could have done without the detailed boy/horse encounter though. Beautiful use of language throughout of course, as one would expect from Mr.Fry.

7/10