David Self
A Prince of Infinite Space
The Ninth Life of Louis Drax
By Liz Jensen
Bloomsbury 228pp £16.99
ONLY THREE PEOPLE know how nine-year-old Louis Drax came to fall down a mountain ravine in the Auvergne. 'Of those, one could never know the full truth. One was hiding from it. And the third was dead.' From this starting point, Liz Jensen develops a compelling tale of suspense and detection, largely set in the coma clinic in Provence where Louis lies - having originally been certified as dead. In fact he has miraculously survived the accident, just as he survived eight earlier ones, including his apparent cot death, falling onto the electrified tracks of the Lyon metro, and salmonella.
He is (or was) a hyper-intelligent and precocious boy, given to eating his mother's contraceptive pills, killing hamsters called Mohammed and discussing whether adults 'sex each other': no wonder his parents sent him to a psychiatrist (whom he then taunted). As he now lies comatose, his voice is one of
Sign Up to our newsletter
Receive free articles, highlights from the archive, news, details of prizes, and much more.@Lit_Review
Follow Literary Review on Twitter
Twitter Feed
Are iPhones ruining children's lives? A prominent American psychologist thinks so.
@tiffanyjenkins is not so sure:
Tiffany Jenkins - The Smartphone Pandemic
Tiffany Jenkins: The Smartphone Pandemic - The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an...
literaryreview.co.uk
India's 'festival of democracy', or general election, begins next month. Like every good festival, it looks likely to have its fair share of murders and arrests.
@OwenBennettJon probes the state of democracy in India:
Owen Bennett-Jones - New Delhi Confidential
Owen Bennett-Jones: New Delhi Confidential - The Incarcerations: BK-16 and the Search for Democracy in India by Alpa Shah
literaryreview.co.uk
Where is the world's newest narcostate and why is it thriving?
@AdamBrookesWord investigates Asia's meth mecca.
Adam Brookes - Meth Comes to Myanmar
Adam Brookes: Meth Comes to Myanmar - Narcotopia: In Search of the Asian Drug Cartel That Outwitted the CIA by Patrick Winn
literaryreview.co.uk