The story resumes in the late 1990s, with Benjamin, now in his mid-40s, struggling in his marriage and working on a massive, unpublished novel. He meets a younger woman, Malvina, and falls in love with her. Other characters from The Rotters' Club, such as Doug and Philip Chase, also reappear as adults.
Coe weaves in many real-world events and cultural references from the early 2000s, including the Millennium, the September 11 attacks, the Iraq War, and the rise of far-right political movements in Britain. However, some reviewers felt that the novel relied too heavily on chance encounters and coincidences to bring the characters back together within a “closed circle.”