Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.
If you would like to join in, please feel free to enter your link, link back to this post, and then spend some time visiting some of the other posts.
This week’s neglected book
Flesh by David Szalay
Published by Scribner on April 1, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Coming of Age
Length: 9 hours 36 minutes
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo | Libro.fm
From Booker Prize-winning author David Szalay, comes a propulsive, hypnotic novel about a man who is unravelled by a series of events beyond his grasp.
Fifteen-year-old István lives with his mother in a quiet apartment complex in Hungary. New to the town and shy, he is unfamiliar with the social rituals at school and soon becomes isolated, with his neighbour—a married woman close to his mother’s age—as his only companion. These encounters shift into a clandestine relationship that István himself can barely understand, and his life soon spirals out of control.
As the years pass, he is carried gradually upwards on the currents of the twenty-first century’s tides of money and power, moving from the army to the company of London’s super-rich, with his own competing impulses for love, intimacy, status and wealth winning him unimaginable riches, until they threaten to undo him completely.
Spare and penetrating, Flesh is the finest novel yet by a master of realism, asking profound questions about what drives a life: what makes it worth living, and what breaks it.
Why did I add Flesh to my bookshelf?
I have had this book on my NetGalley shelf for over a year. I am fairly certain that I also have a print ARC somewhere on my shelves. It won the Booker Prize, which should mean that it is a good book. Unfortunately, I don’t always agree with awards. It will be worth a try if for no other reason than to get it off of my NetGalley shelf.
My 2 daughters and their husbands were in town last weekend for a family wedding. It was a great visit, but I will admit that I am tired. The sale of our previous home is final as of today, and I am relieved. So relieved. I hope to never move again.
What are your thoughts? Have you read this book? Would you recommend it?
Nice pick! I don’t think I know this one. But yeah the “award winning” books don’t always tend to work for me. Just like the “Oscar-worthy” movies don’t work for me. Lol. Hope you enjoy it to some extent though!
And yay for the house being almost done! That’s exciting! We’re still making renovations with mine so might be awhile still until I actually move in.
I don’t know this book and often don’t pay attention to awards. Moving is a huge project.
Booker Prizes kind of scare me. I don’t always have the best luck with award winners. This does sound good though. Huge relief about the house! Now hopefully you can some rest!
The sale is final! Woohoo. I bet you’re tired. Get some rest. I’ve never heard of this book before now.