4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Wow! This novel had me holding my breath from the first page. A concise and extremely well-written depiction of a man facing a potentially life-threatening condition in the ICU. Structurally, it works well with his memories interspersed between the detailed description of his time in ICU. Lots of reflection on music and art and especially poetry and the impactvotbhas on his life. Throught there is reference to his surviving the disease/condition.

Personally, I really don't like injections and generally being in a hospital makes me feel uncomfortable. The intensively detailed descriptions of the invasive experiences triggered that 'urghhhhh' feeling but I take that as a sign of excellent writing.

I deducted 0.5* for the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a proof.

I am a huge admirer of Greenwell's work although I preferred his debut What Belongs To You to his second novel. This third one has an extra depth and urgency which I would barely have thought possible. I was completely transfixed and invested in the narrator's (clearly autobiographical) brush with death and entire revisiting of what it means and consists of to be alive. This is a profoundly philosophical novel of great humanity, openness and vulnerability. It resonated strongly with me on a personal level, prompting sometimes uncomfortable reflections, and I'm sure that will be the case for many readers. That is the sign of a good novel. I do think his editor should have pushed back on the very long, dry poetry analysis which felt like an unwelcome distraction at one point.