Patrick Oxtoby, the main character, is a strange young man whose interactions are prickly because he is extremely self-conscious and defensive. The academic promise he once demonstrated has dissipated, and he settles in a small town to begin his career as an auto mechanic. Living at a boarding house, he can't seem to settle into the rhythm of easy conversations with the other two boarders. One horrendous moment of unreasonable rage results in a life he cannot imagine, and M.J. Hyland describes his reactions, a mixture of disbelief and guilt, perfectly. Patrick is not a particularly likeable person; however, the course of his life's choices are riveting. M.J. Hyland has a deceptively simple style that creates a building of tension as understanding of Patrick's dysfunction grows.
Patrick Oxtoby, the main character, is a strange young man whose interactions are prickly because he is extremely self-conscious and defensive. The academic promise he once demonstrated has dissipated, and he settles in a small town to begin his career as an auto mechanic. Living at a boarding house, he can't seem to settle into the rhythm of easy conversations with the other two boarders. One horrendous moment of unreasonable rage results in a life he cannot imagine, and M.J. Hyland describes his reactions, a mixture of disbelief, embarrassment and guilt, perfectly. Patrick is not a particularly likeable person; however, the course of his life's choices are riveting. M.J. Hyland has a deceptively simple style that creates a building of tension as understanding of Patrick's dysfunction grows.
