Anyone who has ever attended an introductory writing class has heard all the “rules”: active voice is far better than passive voice. Steer clear of banal dialogue. Keep the emphasis on the character’s thoughts. Make sure your characters are “relatable.”

David Szalay breaks all the rules and thank god for that! The result is a hypnotic and immersive novel that grabbed my attention from page one and kept it until the very last page.

From the start, Hungarian teenager Istvan doesn’t act but is acted upon. Our first encounter with him is when he begrudgingly agrees to help a very old (42) married neighbor with errands, and she purposefully seduces him -- stirring up confusing feelings. Soon afterward, a Big Bad Thing happens, with reverberations that echo through Istvan’s life.

We never are privy to what Istvan really thinks about the Big Bad Thing, or anything else, for that matter. Most of the time, his answers to any attempt to find out who he is are staccato-like. Here is a typical example: when a wealthy woman questions him about what it was like being in the army, he tries to figure out what she wants him to say. He ends up with a simple, “It was okay.”

She answers: “What do you mean okay? What does that actually mean? When you say it was okay, you’re not actually saying anything, are you?” She follows up by accusing Istvan of being evasive, and he does not convincingly deny it.

Despite himself, Istvan leads what some might consider a charmed life. Each chapter prods readers further into his future in London, as Istvan eventually comes to the attention of a very wealthy advocate. Soon, he is a driver for London’s billionaire class. Yet Istvan never truly aspires to what unfolds. He remains detached, accepting what is granted to him, never celebrating his good fortune but rather simply accepting it. He appears to want and expect nothing from life and, while frozen emotionally, his essential nature and his humanity peep out at certain intimate moments.

It spurred emotions in me, though, and I totally loved this book. I owe a deep thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for enabling me to be an early reader in exchange for an honest review.

"Flesh" follows the story of István, a young man in Hungary whose life takes a dark turn after a series of uncontrollable events. After a tragic accident, István emigrates to London where he becomes a driver for the wealthy, navigating a series of encounters that shape his life. The novel explores themes of trauma, immigration, and the impact of strangers on one's life with a mix of sensitivity, observation, and tragedy. It delves into István's intimate moments with others, revealing the lasting effects of unresolved trauma in a constantly changing and sometimes violent Europe.

As I delved into this book, I initially questioned whether it was just another run-of-the-mill novel. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the level of detail provided, which forced me to pause and reflect. The story began on a strong note, but gradually lost momentum. As an immigrant myself, striving for a sense of normalcy in a foreign land, I found elements of the protagonist's journey relatable. Despite encountering setbacks along the way, the character's story felt authentic and genuine.

Although the narrative seemed to meander at times, I continued reading, intrigued by the protagonist's youthful perspective. The depiction of the settings, particularly Hungary and London, resonated with me due to my own experiences visiting these places.

While some readers may find the book challenging, I found the initial premise engaging. However, as the story progressed, it veered into the realm of everyday occurrences that are often beyond our control. Perhaps this tale would be better suited for an audiobook format.

Ultimately, reading preferences vary from person to person. I encourage you to give this book a chance and form your own judgment.

Thank you, Scribner for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Interesting. A real chin stroker of a book. I read and enjoyed the author's Turbulence, so I thought I'd check out more of his work. This is a very different book. The thing is I'm not quite sure how much of that is on purpose.
Flesh is essentially a biographical book that follows its protagonist, Istvan, from age 15 to late middle age. It follows him very closely and yet feels strikingly distant. Mostly because Istvan is such a muted character. He barely speaks or expresses emotions. Most of his actions are reactions. Basically, he's the kind of person to whom life happens.
This life is described in leaps and bounds, occasionally skipping years, as he goes from one experience to another, with very pronounced ups and downs. And yet seldom if ever do you feel like you know him or get him or care about him at all.
The author uses a very spare style of narrative, which makes for a quick read, but feels a bit like a conversation with one-word answers. Most of Istvans are "Okay." Not just him, either.
I'm surprised the author didn't just name the novel Okay for how often he uses the word. And it would have bene rather accurate, too, since as a reading experience it was just okay. Thanks Netgalley.

Enigmatic and detached, this is a novel that chooses not to explore its main character, Izstvan, instead delivering a noncommittal central figure at the mercy of life forces. Sex occurs often, but almost always in loveless relationships, or one-sided ones in which love is mentioned but disbelieved. Feelings come as a surprise to Isztvan, as much as the curious events that shape his life - an affair, a death, incarceration, emigration, wealth and then a return to the working class. The narration is bald, as is the book’s ending.
What to make of this? It’s compelling enough, as narrative goes, yet also hollow and somehow flat. There’s melodrama and a certain amount of so what in the events. Why do the characters do X? Or go to Y? Or turn down Z? This feels sketchy, unresolved. As does Isztvan’s unsupplied inner world.
Perhaps this is the author’s style. He’s certainly won praise and awards, so maybe I’m missing something.

A very literary tale of immigration and trauma. Szalay writes about a Hungarian teen named István. Istán is sort of a flat character in many ways, reporting on what he observes and we quickly are spun in to a story that cascades into tragedy. When István becomes involved with a neighbor woman, we are already alert to what could go wrong. Szalay takes us on a cross Europe tour as the teen becomes a young man and continues to be colored by the trauma of early life. This Booker prize runner up has done it again and I recommend to all that love a literary tale, a tale of immigration and a coming of age (which is too commonly painted as average).
#scribner #flesh #davidszalay