BEAST
HarperCollins, 2024
Jacob, a drug-addled alcoholic stumbles through his hum-drum life in near-future London. He struggles to maintain relationships, treating all around him with disdain, and hates his job, his friends and his family. He is a coward, a liar, a pervert, a BEAST.
Meanwhile at night Jack plays. Animals rutting, tearing at rotten flesh…
Jacob decides to kill himself. He wants to kill himself because his life is so terrible, he struggles to live. Everyone hates him. He is a shit. He meets a girl who is worse than him. They fall in love, or into the only kind of love they are capable of; a mutually destructive common hatred of the world. This gives him a glimmer of hope. She dies, tragically, and he is resolved to kill himself.
At the last moment he realises that the girl did, truly care for him. Is life having been loved worth living? We will never know.
REVIEWS
“Akin Makanjuola’s BEAST is an absolutely lovely, beautiful story with a dreamy, fable-like quality that will appeal to readers. Fans of Life of Pi will love this novel.”
Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of "The Nightingale" and "The Great Alone"
“This beautiful, unusual tale explores the healing power of love and the magic that exists in our everyday lives, even when we don’t know how to find it.”
Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of "The Light We Lost"
“An enjoyable, finely written fantasy tale.”
Kirkus Reviews