It must be at least 5 minutes since I last reminded you about the fantastic Remainder by Tom McCarthy, so it is rather timely of The Art of Fiction to post an interesting, in-depth review of a book that would make me stop a stranger in the street:

There’s a modernity to the cultural references that is both thrillingly now, and… slightly off centre. You kind of think that McCarthy might be using “remembered” experiences rather than anything more real. The Dogstar, a Brixton institution; Psion organisers; “History Repeating” by the Propellorheads, speak of a gestation period that goes back to the last century - and, indeed the dot.com crash post-millennium also is an important plot point, that is there from the moment the narrator puts his money in the speculative area of “technology” shares. Precedents for the book must include John Fowles’ iconic “The Collector” where a similarly ordinary man comes into money and uses it for less than orthodox purpose, or the re-staged car crashes of Ballard’s “Crash”.

Read the full review