by David Szalay
The flat protagonist hovers over the surface of his own life without any apparent thought, or even motive or feeling about consequences or effects he might have on others. The friends and family that surround him seem bemused at times by him, as he responds to his own life with helplessness. The protagonist is a victim of abuse at an early age, with devastating emotional consequences, but never overcomes or grows past what was done to him to allow himself to feel, or to take action in the direction of his life. Thought provoking, but ultimately unsatisfying.
