by Steve Toltz
First published 2008
Jasper Dean stands over his father's grave, finally free to examine the madman who shaped his life. Martin Dean was a paranoid intellectual who analyzed everything obsessively and trapped his son in endless philosophical debates. Now Jasper can piece together their wild journey from the Australian outback to Parisian cafes, from Thai jungles to strip clubs and asylums. Martin spent his life scheming to leave his mark on a world he despised, dragging Jasper through one outrageous plan after another. Along the way, Jasper discovered the truth about his criminal uncle Terry and his vanished European mother. Their adventures took them across continents as Martin battled his demons and Jasper struggled between loving and hating the brilliant lunatic who raised him. Despite Martin's paranoia and failed ambitions, Jasper begins to see their chaotic relationship as something extraordinary.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, psychological-thriller, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Australian Outback, Paris, Thailand
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
544 pages · Kindle Edition · Spiegel & Grau
Content warnings: mental-illness