Time is both cruel and kind, chance is more cruel than kind, and trying to defeat both is hard.

The Lightman System is a supreme example of how fiction can tell this story.
— Stephen Fry
A lyrical and upsettingly accurate work ... the beauty of the writing provides its own redemption.
— Adam Thorpe
The distinctive blend of restraint, vividness, humour and compassion make this a compellingly enjoyable read. I was moved to tears by the ending. A deeply involving, wise, wonderfully-written book.
— Amelia Bullmore