From his sci-fi themed novel Journey Into Space to his dark tale of adolescence that was deadkidsongs Toby Litt has shown a considerable talent in being able to write in various different genres. His latest book sees him take on modern crime fiction and craft an intricate take of missing body parts, broken relationships and strange goings on in Guy’s Hospital.
As she travels on the train Kumiko, a Japanese artist living in London, catches glimpse of what she believes to be a human heart thrown from the carriage in front. In a flash she decides to get to the bottom of the mystery leaving her life and boyfriend behind with an almost ruthless efficiency. But her ex, Skelton, has also witnessed the incident and sets on a parallel investigation to get to the bottom of the strange goings on whilst attempting to regain the heart of his estranged love. Soon they find themselves embroiled in a world of hospital intrigue, abandoned houses and a mysterious dissection lecturer known affectionally as ‘King Death’.
Litt has crafted a very modern thriller that takes two parallel stories and weaves them seamlessly into one another. On the one hand we have Kumiko, an outsider whose persistence sometimes makes her enemies but generally manages to pay off. On the other, Skelton – hurt by Kumiko’s rejection – heads forth to prove his worth and intelligence. The overarching mystery that both attempt to solve is definitely fascinating and Litt just manages to keep the plot on the right side of the fantastical (though some of the later revelations are piled on quite heavily and sometimes seem to come out of nowhere). But it’s the relationship between Kumiko and Skelton that makes the book so fascinating. In some ways it’s disturbing, as they try and outclass each other seemingly using the lives of those affected by the strange events as pawns in their complex game of one-upmanship. But there’s an underlying sweetness here as both understand the other more than they realise and – unwittingly or not – spur each other on to greater heights. It’s the consistent interplay and back and forth between the pair (the book switches from their viewpoint from chapter to chapter throughout) that keeps you coming back.
A strong and entertaining work and shows that – for this book anyway – Litt’s heart is definitely in the right place.
Those taking part in the Culture Vulture Book Club, add your thoughts to the comment section below. How’ve you been getting on with the book? Do you agree with the review? What worked and didn’t work for you? Let us know and let’s start discussing this (in my opinion) fascinating work.
The book looks rather sumptuous with its black-edged pages and I was hoping for a gothic thriller, maybe along the lines of Louise Welsh? But as the old saying goes, I shouldn’t have been judging a book by its cover.
I found the alternating narrators a bit tricksy and wearing and it was difficult to warm to any of the characters. I didn’t get the sense of the underlying sweetness Laurence mentioned in Kumiko and Skelton’s relationship. Instead, they both seemed indifferent and cold – heartless you might say – especially in the way they treat Anne. Is the way they dissect, analyse and experiment with the lives of those they encounter all that different from the pathologists? Kumiko even tries to transplant Skelton’s affections to another, almost as a game.
I wondered if Litt was really writing about art (his main protagonists are both artists after all) and about how writers play with their characters. When Skelton tells his story to the ‘famous pop singer’, the singer doesn’t ask permission before turning it into a song, after which his interest in Skelton disappears. Just a thought!
The pace definitely picked up towards the end, but overall, I can’t say it was a book I enjoyed.
I’ve been tripped up a couple of times by the alternating narrator…I sleepily read half a chapter this morning before realising I’d got the narrators mixed up. Total fool.
I haven’t warmed to Kumiko so far. There’s a matter-of-factness to her character that I find both unrealistic and unappealing, and Skelton is just annoying me in a somewhat irrational way right now.
Also, an object, seen for a split second from a moving train was instantly, confidently and unequivocally identified as a heart and more specifically, a human heart. Really? That’s impressive anatomy for an artist and a session musician.
Having said that, I’m quite enjoying it so far. It’s a tricky little tale.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Each turned page greets the reader with ever more implausible story elements and laughably shoe-horned plot hooks.
I actually found myself starting to genuinely believe that the strangeness of characters’ actions was actually intentional, that any moment one of the narrators would reveal that London had been pumped full of some insidious nerve gas causing people to take leave of their senses and act unpredictably.
At one point I was actually laughing so hard at the insanity of one of the character’s actions, tears rolling uncontrollably down my face, that a fellow train passenger leaned across to ask if I was OK.
At the very least I got a laugh out of this nonsense.
Toby Litt is the M. Night Shyamalan of literary fiction.
I’ll be honest here (aren’t I always) I didn’t like this book to start with. Like others I struggled with the narrator changing each chapter, and if not paying enough attention I did lose for a few lines which one I was with.
I still can’t grasp why Kumiko would chase the heart in the first place?
What I enjoyed more, and would have liked explored more, was about the hospital – the strange characters in it and all the goings on. I also really liked Becky’s character – in fact I’d rather read a book about her then either of the main characters.
I started the book with good intentions, but grew tired of it quickly, found it very hard to pick back up when I have other books I’d like to read, but then got into it again by the end.
It’s not a book I’d pick up – oddly enough the black pages would put me off (silly I know), but I did enjoy it, and I’m glad I read it.
Thank you for my copy!
Whilst I agree that the plot is implausible, what thrillers usually aren’t? Most would be stopped dead at the start as sensible people would go to the Police. I think you can suspend the disbelief long enough to keep into it (though I do think that the end does start to get a little too much with it’s consistent flinging out of surprises).
I think the changing narrator is fine: it give a rhythm and energy to proceedings and the juxtaposition between the different viewpoints gives rise some interesting ideas on notions of perception. I think it also helps balance the character of Kumiko as she’s constantly linked with Skelton. It goes back to my argument of the underlying sweetness. They could really, really hurt one another (or even just give up) but you get the impression they’re ‘working with one another’ even when they’re apart
I agree the hospital is very well realised and it becomes a great place to set the action
Any more thoughts/comments?
I am 1/3 into the book and enjoying it. Can’t say too much ae at the moment as I haven’t finished – but just a few thoughts – Implausable plots don’t worry me too much as ‘real life’ always seems weireder. What worries me is does a plot engage me? And so far this book is doing just that. Also – I like the change in voices and the way the characters see the same events but give them different meanings. Looking fwd to the book club event during the lit fest very much.
i am secretly reading the book, though my partner doesnt know it. In the same way skelton is trying to get to the story first before kumiko without her knowing, i keep picking the book up when my girlfriend is not looking to see where she has got to and then i read as fast as i can to get a bit ahead before she comes downstairs….
Would be interested in any more comments and to hear from anyone going to the event tonight. Let us all know what it was like!