First published 2011
Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield sits in another Dublin pub, his pockets empty and his Trinity College law books gathering dust. This Irish American with his affected English accent has bigger dreams than studying. He wants dollars, willing women, and the recognition he believes the world owes him. Sebastian moves from tavern to pawnshop, whispering sweet lies to any girl who will listen. He pawns his possessions for drinking money and spins elaborate fantasies about his future wealth. His unwashed charm works on some, but reality keeps intruding. Bills pile up while Sebastian chases his delusions of grandeur through the streets of Ireland. He refuses to accept his circumstances, always believing the next scheme or seduction will deliver the freedom he craves. The gap between Sebastian's grand self-image and his actual situation creates both comedy and pathos as he stumbles through his days in search of something that always stays just out of reach.
Genres: 20th-century, american, contemporary, adult-fiction, comedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Setting: Dublin
Period: 20th-century
350 pages · Kindle Edition · Abacus