David Szalay's Flesh parallels Samuel Butler's The Way of All Flesh, examining existential questions about life and death through protagonist Istvan's experiences. The narrative takes readers from Istvan's isolated teenage years to his equally melancholic middle-age, highlighting his non-agentive role in facing life's challenges—ranging from personal relationships to broader societal changes. This novel captures a shared human experience of feeling adrift in a chaotic world while confronting psychological isolation and the relentless passage of time.
Butler's inference was clear enough: here is a book about what it means to live, what it means to die, and what might be a worthwhile way to fill the time in between.
Szalay has rendered a man buffeted by forces beyond his control, be they the erotic or material desires of those who surround him.
Collection
[
|
...
]