Sanibel
The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares is one of those books that sneaks up on you. It’s short, strange, and full of twists that make you question everything by the time you finish. If you like stories that feel like a puzzle, this one’s for you.
The setup is simple: an unnamed narrator (who’s on the run for a crime we don’t know much about) hides out on a deserted island. At least, he thinks it’s deserted. Pretty soon, he starts noticing people—elegantly dressed, almost otherworldly—and things get weird. Why don’t they acknowledge him? How do they seem so… disconnected from reality?
The narrator becomes obsessed with Faustine, one of these “visitors,” and we get pulled into his spiraling thoughts about love, immortality, and what it means to truly connect with someone.
What’s great about this book is how it balances mystery with some really big ideas. You can enjoy it as a sci-fi mind-bender or dig into the deeper stuff about memory, obsession, and loneliness. The island feels dreamlike and unsettling, and the writing is simple but evocative. It’s not a long book, but it packs a lot into its pages.
If you’re into stories that feel a bit like a Black Mirror episode or something out of a Kafka fever dream, The Invention of Morel will hit the spot. It’s eerie, thought-provoking, and unique. Plus, it’ll leave you wondering about what’s real and what’s just an illusion—long after you’ve put it down.
The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares is one of those books that sneaks up on you. It’s short, strange, and full of twists that make you question everything by the time you finish. If you like stories that feel like a puzzle, this one’s for you.
The setup is simple: an unnamed narrator (who’s on the run for a crime we don’t know much about) hides out on a deserted island. At least, he thinks it’s deserted. Pretty soon, he starts noticing people—elegantly dressed, almost otherworldly—and things get weird. Why don’t they acknowledge him? How do they seem so… disconnected from reality?
The narrator becomes obsessed with Faustine, one of these “visitors,” and we get pulled into his spiraling thoughts about love, immortality, and what it means to truly connect with someone.
What’s great about this book is how it balances mystery with some really big ideas. You can enjoy it as a sci-fi mind-bender or dig into the deeper stuff about memory, obsession, and loneliness. The island feels dreamlike and unsettling, and the writing is simple but evocative. It’s not a long book, but it packs a lot into its pages.
If you’re into stories that feel a bit like a Black Mirror episode or something out of a Kafka fever dream, The Invention of Morel will hit the spot. It’s eerie, thought-provoking, and unique. Plus, it’ll leave you wondering about what’s real and what’s just an illusion—long after you’ve put it down.