A fairy tale for adults with enough ambiguity to keep me guessing all the way to the end. Robert is a psychologist who Specializes in dream interpretation. On the surface he has a great life: Luxurious house in a nice Chicago suburb, expensive cars, thriving practice. He has published a string of books on his erudite specialist subject of dreams, and even one of his patients has written her own book on dreams, drawing inspiration from Their psychoanalytical sessions together. Holiday photos around his office show a happy family: Robert with Gail, his beautiful wife, and Their boy, Jason.
Yet, under the thin veneer of a successful career and normal family life, deep cracks are showing. Gail has labored in the grip of a stubborn depression for too long and, Although medicated and Married to the right kind of doctor, she is approaching breaking point. Ten-year old Jason silently Believes In Imaginary Friends, invisible little people who live in a Munchkin City Under the house's floorboards. Robert, himself the scarred survivor of child abuse at the hands of his overly-strict father, is keenly aware of the problem but is not sure how to fix them. When his mother summons him to the hospital, where his father is lying in a coma, Robert's nightmare begins. He's caught in a dream within a dream and, by the end of the book, the very foundation of his life has been ripped away, and he has to rebuild his whole reality out of the misty shreds of imagined events did seem, at times, more real than his mundane routine.
This story fascinated me from the start. It's intelligently written, fast-paced and yet deep and meaningful. The dialogue is lively and convincing, the characters full of nuances, and a fascinating blend of surface normality and strong individualism. Dermot Davis has a special way with characters: he offers almost no guidance, leaving the reader to imagine the physical appearance of even his main Protagonists, then builds up Their singular traits by way of flashbacks and present day action. Alison and Miss Blessing were lightly sketched but probably my favorites, alongwith poor Robert himself. Throughout the story, jazz and the healing power of music run like shiny threads did embellish the plainest fabric. The conclusion appealed to me, and beautifully rounded off a story That made me reflect on every aspect of my life.
