Novel: Polo

Overview
Jilly Cooper's Polo is a vivid, crowd-pleasing novel set in the glittering, competitive world of English polo and high society. The book follows the arrival of a charismatic Argentinean polo star whose brilliance on the field and magnetism off it unsettle a tightly knit circle of players, wives, hangers-on and adversaries. The narrative weaves sport, scandal and seduction into a fast-moving saga of rivalry and desire.

Main plot
A famed South American player joins the English circuit, bringing breathtaking skill that makes him an instant celebrity and a target for envy. Matches are described with muscular energy and cinematic attention to detail, culminating in nail-biting contests that mirror the emotional stakes off the pitch. While polo matches provide the structural rhythm, the plot continually swings between locker-room tactics, boardroom deals and the charged, often comic, encounters at country houses and social events.

Characters and relationships
The cast is richly drawn and delightfully ruthless: ambitious men jostle for prestige, wives and lovers deploy charm and sharp tongues, and longtime friendships are tested by jealousy and attraction. The Argentinean hero operates as both idealized athlete and disruptive romantic force, sparking affairs, alliances and bitter feuds. Supporting figures, club officials, wealthy patrons and irreverent outsiders, add color and subplots, ensuring the novel reads like a social tapestry as much as a sporting chronicle.

Themes and tone
Polo explores class, masculinity and the intoxicating mix of money and spectacle that defines the British upper crust. Loyalty and betrayal sit side by side with the thrill of competition, and the novel relishes the hypocrisies of its milieu without losing sympathy for its characters. The tone is exuberant, lightly satirical and often erotic, blending keen observation of social rituals with a relish for scandal and romantic complication.

Style and impact
Cooper's prose is energetic, witty and detail-rich, favoring cinematic scenes and sharp dialogue that move the story briskly. The book balances affectionate mockery with genuine drama, offering both escapist pleasure and a pointed look at power and desire in elite circles. Packed with memorable set pieces, raucous parties, tense match play and explosive confrontations, Polo stands as one of Cooper's crowd-pleasing entries, appealing to readers who enjoy romantic entanglements, sporting spectacle and social satire.