We meet one of the most mesmerizing, singular voices in a long tradition of disturbing narrators. Despite his obvious intelligence and compelling voice, it is clear that something about solitary, odd Mike is not quite right. When he becomes fixated on a classmate named Jennifer Arkland and she goes missing, we are left with the looming question: Is Mike Engleby involved? As he grows up, finding a job and even a girlfriend in London, Mike only becomes more and more detached from those around him in an almost anti-coming-of-age. His inability to relate to others and his undependable memory (able to recall countless lines of text yet sometimes incapable of summoning up his own experiences from mere days before) lead the reader down an unclear and often darkly humorous path where one is never completely comfortable or confident about what is true.

This isn't a light read. Dark humoured and insidious, it will curiously drag you along into the depths of this young man's psyche.

The style of account is appropriately deceptive, written in the long and much loved modern tradition of the unreliable narrator.

This wasn't an issue for me personally, but readers shouldn't approach this book hoping to find the main character likeable. The way he interacts with the people around him is decidedly aloof, and verging on misanthropic.

Go back and re-read certain parts. This book leads you down paths one wouldn't have expected.

Glad for having read it. I'm a long time Sebastian Faulks fan, so I really enjoyed this departure from his frequent pursuit of historical romance novels.

Writes beautifully, and with great precision for detail. He paints unlikely and somewhat extreme characters with a deft touch that is fulfilling and enjoyable.

It's simply an excellent read, told in a way that will intrigue you enough to continue exploring the mind of this book right until its fated end.

Perhaps a little morose and intense for some. I would still fully recommend it, but would suggest an appropriate atmosphere within which to do so.

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Created Jun 04, 2013 at 1:18am • Submit your own review...