by David Szalay
First published 2017
Paul Rainey trudges through his days selling advertising space for publications that hardly anyone reads. Through a haze of alcohol and drugs, he recognizes his deep dissatisfaction with every aspect of his existence. His work feels meaningless, his personal relationships disappoint, and his attempts at escape through substances only deepen his malaise. When Paul encounters Eddy Jaw, an old friend from the sales world, their meeting produces an unexpected job opportunity. Paul sees this as his chance to break free from his current trap. The new position promises to rescue him from his dreary routine of hawking magazine space to reluctant buyers. But Eddy's offer proves as deceptive as the sales pitches Paul himself delivers to his own clients. What follows transforms Paul's life in directions he never anticipated. His journey through London's advertising world becomes something far stranger than a simple career change, forcing him to confront the gap between what he wants and what actually happens when opportunity knocks.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, redemption
Setting: London, South-East
Period: 21st-century
352 pages · Paperback · Graywolf Press
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use