I chose this Toronto man’s novel almost at random from the William’s Court lending library, with nothing else appealing on my list then being available. Not a good choice.
Two seemingly successful historians and university teachers at an unspecified institution in the early 21st century marry and have a young son. But the man tries to deal with a secret sleep disorder with medication, endangering his son’s life and leading to bitter acrimony with his wife, then a bitter divorce and custody battle. His abuses escalate and lead to his failure to advance in his academic career, centred on the history of Ancient Rome.
Chapters are titled after the drugs he uses and abuses to treat his disorder, or the guns he plays with. In places, it becomes impossible to know what is real and what is the effect of the drugs and sleeplessness on his brain. He moves to Montreal, then on sabattical to some unspecified American city, and finally to a very violent Ostia Antica in Italy. His obsession with handguns becomes confusing.
There is abundant foul language and unrealistic sexual encounters with almost any kind of perversion you could think of, explicitly described. At the end, it is not clear what will happen to him, as the novel simply stops on the streets of Ostia Antica, with him captive to kids with guns.
When will novelists learn the difference between arteries and veins? «…blood pumped through his veins. »
I cannot recommend this trashy disjointed book.
1/5
The Passionate Reader 