When Ariel Manto uncovers a copy of The End of Mr. Y in a second-hand bookshop, she can't believe her eyes. She knows enough about its author, the outlandish Victorian scientist Thomas Lumas, to know that copies are exceedingly rare. And, some say, cursed. With Mr. Y under her arm, Ariel finds herself thrust into a thrilling adventure of love, sex, death and time-travel
The End of Mr Y
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Review
'A masterpiece . . . A brilliant, engaging story that in the end
makes you rethink the nature of existence and the true structure of the
world.' -- Douglas Coupland
'Deserves all the praise it has already received and much more . .
. Destined to become a cult book.' -- Sunday Telegraph
'Enjoyable bunkum, as brainy as it is fantastical...Thomas has produced a contemporary fantasy novel worth reading.' -- Sunday Herald
'Ingenious and original . . . A cracking good yarn fizzing with
intelligence.' -- Philip Pullman
'This splendid piece of Victorian gothic has a delightful whiff of
decaying books, and a strong pinch of sulphur. Hugely enjoyable.' -- The Times
'Thomas pulls off this intellectual rollercoaster of a novel with dry humour and panache' -- Sunday Times
'Utter enchantment.'
-- Independent
makes you rethink the nature of existence and the true structure of the
world.' -- Douglas Coupland
'Deserves all the praise it has already received and much more . .
. Destined to become a cult book.' -- Sunday Telegraph
'Enjoyable bunkum, as brainy as it is fantastical...Thomas has produced a contemporary fantasy novel worth reading.' -- Sunday Herald
'Ingenious and original . . . A cracking good yarn fizzing with
intelligence.' -- Philip Pullman
'This splendid piece of Victorian gothic has a delightful whiff of
decaying books, and a strong pinch of sulphur. Hugely enjoyable.' -- The Times
'Thomas pulls off this intellectual rollercoaster of a novel with dry humour and panache' -- Sunday Times
'Utter enchantment.'
-- Independent
Book Description
If you knew a book was cursed, would you read it?
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is one of the best books I have ever read. Thomas is like a new Atwood for me, melding the ability to create a dark new world with something so intrinsically human that it never seems that far from home.
Do I like this because I am a female university lecturer and research student with more than a passing interest in philosophy, quantum physics and the paranormal? It can't be discounted. But I also love the mystery and magic in this book which lies somewhere between Harry Potter and The Illusionist, the ability of the main protagonist to keep striving through adversity by creating new ideas and possibilities, and the raw filth which appears periodically to distance this book from a fluffy teen adventure.
It is fair to say that some of the descriptions of scientific and philosophical ideas are either too long or too simplistic, something difficult to gauge for an unlimited audience. Also the story when told from what appears to be embellished personal experience feels richer than that told from other positions, for example that of a non-human (to avoid spoilers).
However, these things by no mean detract from the overall feeling in the book and it was one of the very few book endings which felt satisfying to me, and was a multi-layered, paradoxical and wonderful idea.
I have read other reviews which say that the ideas within are so fanciful that it spoils the book as it is neither fantasy nor reality- I would argue that this is exactly the point- a thought experiment takes us to the limits of experience and encourages us to question what it is to be alive. Other books which may support this edge of awareness thinking are 'The Sense of Being Stared At' by Sheldrake, 'The Holographic Universe by Talbot' and 'The Field' by McTaggart.
A fantastic find for the curious.
Do I like this because I am a female university lecturer and research student with more than a passing interest in philosophy, quantum physics and the paranormal? It can't be discounted. But I also love the mystery and magic in this book which lies somewhere between Harry Potter and The Illusionist, the ability of the main protagonist to keep striving through adversity by creating new ideas and possibilities, and the raw filth which appears periodically to distance this book from a fluffy teen adventure.
It is fair to say that some of the descriptions of scientific and philosophical ideas are either too long or too simplistic, something difficult to gauge for an unlimited audience. Also the story when told from what appears to be embellished personal experience feels richer than that told from other positions, for example that of a non-human (to avoid spoilers).
However, these things by no mean detract from the overall feeling in the book and it was one of the very few book endings which felt satisfying to me, and was a multi-layered, paradoxical and wonderful idea.
I have read other reviews which say that the ideas within are so fanciful that it spoils the book as it is neither fantasy nor reality- I would argue that this is exactly the point- a thought experiment takes us to the limits of experience and encourages us to question what it is to be alive. Other books which may support this edge of awareness thinking are 'The Sense of Being Stared At' by Sheldrake, 'The Holographic Universe by Talbot' and 'The Field' by McTaggart.
A fantastic find for the curious.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Scarlett Thomas is one of those authors who writes polarising books. They are complex, intentionally disjointed in places and concerned with metaphysical issues. If this doesn't seem like your cup of tea then there's no point in reading this book or PopCo.
I loved the End of Mr Y for its ambition. It's the author's ideas of the nature of reality ensconced in a sprawling narrative. I would say it's loosely inspired by Edgar Alan Poe's Eureka "prose poem". Meaning it presents an a priori theory of consciousness with reference to physics but without mathematical analysis of experimental data. I was fascinated at how the plot was woven together. It really was most ingenious how the different strands of the author's thoughts on reality, existence and thought itself are brought together over the many plot arcs. This is the chief strength and weakness of the book, depending on your perspective. The chief protagonist is Ariel Manto which I believe is a deliberate anagram of I Am Not Real. Ariel's mind is full of metaphysical chatter. It's relentless. If you don't think this way you'll hate this book. It really is as simple as that. If you're not someone who engages in thought experiments and has spent nights lying awake pondering the origins of the universe this is not the book for you. If you're the kind of person who feels Phil Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy is uncomfortably godless or can't cope with obscene sex scenes in books then don't read this book. If you think philosophical discussions are indulgent then stay away.... Read more ›
I loved the End of Mr Y for its ambition. It's the author's ideas of the nature of reality ensconced in a sprawling narrative. I would say it's loosely inspired by Edgar Alan Poe's Eureka "prose poem". Meaning it presents an a priori theory of consciousness with reference to physics but without mathematical analysis of experimental data. I was fascinated at how the plot was woven together. It really was most ingenious how the different strands of the author's thoughts on reality, existence and thought itself are brought together over the many plot arcs. This is the chief strength and weakness of the book, depending on your perspective. The chief protagonist is Ariel Manto which I believe is a deliberate anagram of I Am Not Real. Ariel's mind is full of metaphysical chatter. It's relentless. If you don't think this way you'll hate this book. It really is as simple as that. If you're not someone who engages in thought experiments and has spent nights lying awake pondering the origins of the universe this is not the book for you. If you're the kind of person who feels Phil Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy is uncomfortably godless or can't cope with obscene sex scenes in books then don't read this book. If you think philosophical discussions are indulgent then stay away.... Read more ›
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By Lies Inc.
Format:Paperback
Lots of other people have reviewed this book so I'm not going to do that . All I will say for all those who have read this book + for those reading it at the moment is that when you have finished it go back and read the first few lines again....a whole new world of possibilities opens up .
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Jen
Format:Paperback
I really loved this book. I don't want to say too much about it because when I'm reading I prefer not to have to many preconceptions. What I will say is that it's genuinely a good read, as well as being a bit 'thinky' (but not overly so). It starts quite random and jumps about, then everything is pulled together so it's quite different by the end (so if you find the start frustrating persevere). I hear what one of the earlier reviewers was saying about the way the other characters are constructed, but I think the main character is so perfect that this is cancelled out. Anyway, give it a go.
52 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ariel Manto is writing her PhD thesis and has a facination with a book called 'The End of Mr. Y', which no-one alive has ever read. That's partly becasue everyone who has had anything to do with the book has either died or disappeared.
Ariel finds a copy of this book, quite unexpectedly, in a local bookshop and learns it's secret; the book contains a recipe for a potion which allows you to enter an alternative dimension, 'The Troposphere'. Once in the Troposphere, you can travel around using the thoughts of others.
This is the start point for what turns out to be an adventure through science, religion, self-doubt, self-loathing and ultimately, love.
For those people who have read Popco, The End of Mr Y follows a similar kind of narrative. Thomas appears to have taking a load of subjects she is interested in (homeopathy, religion, quantum physics) and fused them into one glorious whole.
I loved this book. She did lose me a bit when describing the fourth-dimension, quarks, time and matter and all the electron stuff, but it has to be said, Scarlett Thomas on her bad days is better than most other writers on their best days.
Brilliant. If you liked Popco, you'll love it!
Ariel finds a copy of this book, quite unexpectedly, in a local bookshop and learns it's secret; the book contains a recipe for a potion which allows you to enter an alternative dimension, 'The Troposphere'. Once in the Troposphere, you can travel around using the thoughts of others.
This is the start point for what turns out to be an adventure through science, religion, self-doubt, self-loathing and ultimately, love.
For those people who have read Popco, The End of Mr Y follows a similar kind of narrative. Thomas appears to have taking a load of subjects she is interested in (homeopathy, religion, quantum physics) and fused them into one glorious whole.
I loved this book. She did lose me a bit when describing the fourth-dimension, quarks, time and matter and all the electron stuff, but it has to be said, Scarlett Thomas on her bad days is better than most other writers on their best days.
Brilliant. If you liked Popco, you'll love it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing! Buy this book!
Seriously, awesome book!
Dont even question it. Put it into your cart, buy it and wait for the incredible adventure.
Dont even question it. Put it into your cart, buy it and wait for the incredible adventure.
Published 9 days ago by Sidewalkeruk
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lost time
Thomas has written a book where a character called Ariel enters another mental dimension and returns to find hours of her life have slipped by. I know how she felt. Read more
Published 1 month ago by EmmaH
1.0 out of 5 stars
Please Do Not Buy This MYsterY
I bought this book in a second hand shop as we you do, as it looked attractive as mentioned by other reviewers. Book by its cover etc... Read more
Published 1 month ago by A-Team Removals
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
I picked this up from a bookstore purely because I liked the cover, and bought it only on the strength of the blurb. I'd never heard of Scarlett Thomas. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mork calling Orson
3.0 out of 5 stars
A daring literary and philosophical experiment that just didn't quite...
It's always quite disappointing when you pick up a book expecting to absolutely love it and instead end up merely liking it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Georgiana89
2.0 out of 5 stars
The only mystery (or Mr Y) here is the good reviews
An unlikeable protagonist, an unbelievable love story and 100 yards of exposition to get us to a pseudo-religious end to all the pseudo-scientific wittering that preceded it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by The Amazon J
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent concepts & intelligent content, wrapped in a bit of a chick...
I really loved this book and it took me right back to happier times when I did my philosophy degree and studied hermeneutics! Read more
Published 2 months ago by ClairyV
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thought provoking, creepy, slightly weird, but excellent
I cannot even begin to summarise this book. I have never read anything quite like it and I doubt I will find something the same again. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Maz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome and thought-provoking
This book was awesome. It really got me thinking about things, and I got absorbed very easily. It engaged my mind even when I wasn't reading, and I had a 'book hangover'... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Louise
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pearls before a swine?
Ariel Manto, an impoverished and directionless PhD student, discovers by chance a copy of a rare and notorious novel "The End of Mr Y". Read more
Published 3 months ago by Crookedmouth
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