2006 book 111

Scarlett Thomas' The End of Mr. Y
I'm a bit too into this book to write much about it, aside from saying that it's another strong contender for the best-of-the-year list; like all of Thomas' novels, it's clever and intellectual and thought-provoking and literary and very moving. This story centers on Ariel, a grad student working on thought experiments. She comes across a copy of a book by an author she's studying, only this book is very rare and apparently cursed--anyone who's ever read it has died or disappeared. This isn't a horror story, though, in the least. I'ts more of a novel meditating on the nature of thought and language . . . which I know makes it sound boring, but believe me, it really isn't. Like I said, it's a strong contender for the best-of-the-year list. I'm sorry I'm describing it badly but I don't want to give anything away, because following the narrator as she discovers just where this book can lead is pretty amazing.