Based on lectures Forster gave at Cambridge in 1927, this is a relaxed, witty book of literary criticism about how novels work. He considers story, people, plot, fantasy, prophecy, pattern and rhythm, drawing examples from many authors. It is the source of his famous distinction between flat and round characters, and between a story and a plot. Written for general readers rather than scholars, it remains a lively and much quoted introduction to thinking about fiction.
Quotes
The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died, and then the queen died of grief is a plot.
The test of a round character is whether it is capable of surprising in a convincing way.
If God could tell the story of the Universe, the Universe would become fictitious.
How can I tell what I think till I see what I say?