This Book Does Not Exist

This book is what happens when you mix equal parts 500 Days of Summer and House of Leaves, but fail to capitalize on the emotional/relational turmoil and supernatural mystery that made those two works of art so poignant.

I really liked this novel's beginning. Mike's initial sense of unexplained panic and the backstory that brought him to the current point is intriguing enough to settle the reader in. Futhermore, his random meetings with the mysterious Gepetto serve to heighten the sense of high strangeness that is encroaching on Mike's life.

The problem with this story is its overall execution. Too often, characters are introduced without rhyme or reason and fade off into the background without any explanation of why they appeared in the first place. Inexplicable events occur and although Mike does a good job of mirroring what readers inevitably feel (“why?”), answers are all too often lacking. The biggest frustration comes from a reunion scene in which Mike is given the most bland, boring excuse for why his life has shifted so radically; it's a letdown of the highest order and serves only to drain the story of whatever suspense it had left.

This story has all the hallmarks of an author who has definite talent, but (at this stage in his career) lacks the ability to pull a story into a tight, cohesive weave. So, as a recommendation, I would say that if a friend/family member already has this on their shelf, give it a shot.