Now I feel the unrelenting need to talk about it. I really enjoyed the first half. I enjoyed the second half as well, but to a far lesser extent - I found it a bit bitty and the narrative across the latter sequence of events not as strong. The fact Max kept getting told by Miss Cross that she didn't want to see him again, yet he kept turning up at her class, at her home, etc, and she didn't seem too bothered, was probably what jarred most. Overall, 8 out of 10.