[2] Benedictus dedicated the book to "the only girl I've ever loved—wherever they may be"; in a preface, the author describes the novel as an examination of "the deadliest form of self-destruction, which is love".

[3] Robert Donald Spector of the San Francisco Examiner praised the book as "an outrageously funny satire that launches an all-out nuclear attack on every last inch of British life", with the targets including the "Welfare State" and "upper-middle-class snobbishness", with the "blast area" consisting of sex.

[5] Oakland Tribune reviewer Dennis Powers wrote that thanks to the author's "malice and winning way with words", the book is "good fun in spite of its flaws", which he said included its cruel comedy and heavy-handed irony.

"[3] The novel was brought to the attention of Francis Ford Coppola by actor Tony Bill, who wanted to play Bernard in any movie adaptation.

Elizabeth Hartman was cast as Barbara, Karen Black as Amy, and Rip Torn and Geraldine Page played the parents.