Oblivion
by
Patrick Holland
Publisher: Transit Lounge Publishing
Publication date: 1st July 2024
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 256
RRP: AU$32.99 (hardback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media
Review: Oblivion
Patrick Holland's writing is poetic, poignant and visceral.
Holland's delivery of short, sharp sentences paint a beautiful picture of the setting whilst at the same time rendering an acute portrayal of the unnamed narrator's dismal life.
Our multi-lingual narrator works for a trade council however spends his days doing dodgy real estate deals and his nights with expensive whiskey and call girls.
He moves between airports and chance liaisons. each one much like the last. Each deal brings him closer to his dream of a penthouse in Saigon where he will spend his days with elite call girls, whiskey, opium and oblivion. Our narrator is a broken man, despondent and cynical, making money by insider deals, yet quotes from the bible.
I found him complex and nuanced, one action and thought quite often contradicting a previous one, yet he had a certain charisma about him.
Oblivion is a story of the transformative power of love.
This is a novel where the narrator's journey becomes the story. The only reason I'm holding back that fifth star is because sometimes I needed a little more explanation to understand what the author wanted me to see.
My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
About the author
Patrick Holland is a novelist and short story writer. He is the author of seven books, most notably The Mary Smokes Boys (2010), which was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and is currently being made into a feature film.
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