Overtaken (2003)

UK
Novel
Author: Alexei Sayle

Can People change? What shapes one’s personality? Who are we when everything and everyone else is stripped away? Sayle’s exploration of the effects of tragedy, and the subjectivity of pain and suffering, and of guilt and responsibility is narrated by Kevin, a property developer in his early 30s from Liverpool. His business dealings are successful, he has a close-nit group of friends with whom he enjoys the arts: plays, art galleries, films, books, avant-garde circuses. His evenings and weekends are filled with activity. They even take holidays and weekend breaks together. He exists only as part of this group. Then tragedy strikes. Grimly funny and surprisingly insightful, a delight.