A little creepy 1

I did not hate this book, but I have not loved. On the form, nothing wrong (otherwise I would have put two stars), I'm still a fan and remains the Nothombien style. The plot in default to be supported is interesting (the narrator Zoilus will he carry out his murderous project or he will stop in time? Moreover, why he has this project? ).

On the substance, the content wondering first of all a problem of conscience. From the first page, AN warns that Zoilus commit an attack and wants to blow up an airplane. It happens that I read this book three months after the bloody events of Charlie Hebdo (January 2015) and macabre coincidence or copyright premonition, just when a suicidal psychopath comes to blow up a flight between Spain and the Germany in the French Alps (in April 2015). While the author has nothing to do, especially since the book was published six years ago. It also specifies that the act of Zoilus is not guided by religion, but he does it out of revenge and heartache. I wonder if it is not worse ... So I felt a feeling of embarrassment if not sad from beginning to end. Black humor has indeed limits.

Which brings me to my second thought: I confess to being a little tired megalomaniac character, narcissistic, mentally deranged, and murderers, created by the author. Zoilus me think of Epiphanes, the central character of "Attack", or the character of "Cosmetics of the enemy," or that of "Swallow Journal". Here, in addition, Zoilus is very immature, because like a frustrated child who has not got what he wanted (in this case: sex), he takes it out on others, on the innocent. A love like that, no thank you! Ultimately, the dÉpiphane love for Ethel was far more mature and sublime.

Another thing that bothered me: the apology of the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms (it is illegal), as the only way to know the world hero, the depth of things, the ultimate Truth. Belief that I am convinced of the opposite. It is very sad to be reduced to take drugs to enjoy life and find his child's soul. Writers have the right to write what they want, but personally I find a bit irresponsible to stage an attack killing hundreds of people and indirectly encourage the consumption of drugs (see layouts medical guard against these famous mushrooms on wikipedia).

The other two characters, Astrolabe, and Eleanor, their psychological profile is dug too little for them to be endearing or have consistency. It's a shame, I think there would have been a lot more to say about Astrolabe.