By Dylan Curran
In this Paul Auster-meets-Dennis Lehane literary thriller, readers will find themselves spellbound by a day in the life of “the man Joseph” and his exhilarating—yet terrifying—family history. Compromised by his intrusive thoughts, he wanders off the job site only to come face to face with the one person to blame for all of his troubles, his son. Diagnosed with Capgras Syndrome, Joseph’s son, Edward, spiraled past the point of no return when he attempted to dispose of his own mother (and Joseph’s wife), claiming that she was an imposter only posing as his mother dearest. Although this is revealed to us in the early pages of the book (no spoilers here!) what moves the plot forward is the depth of the consequences that this has had on each of its characters and the lengths they will go to rid themselves of the trauma that has stained their good memories together. From eliminating all photographs of Edward to hospital recoveries and new-found faith, these coping mechanisms all reveal themselves to be less than substantive.
In this Ulysses-like take on the everyday working man fraught with bouts of depressive episodes, readers will be immersed in the telltale signs of Joseph’s over-exhaustion and burnout. What lingers long after one turns the last page is an ominous feeling of uncertainty. How sure can we be that this was not all just a fever dream from a particularly unfortunate individual? The literary calibre and craftsmanship is evident in Clammer’s writing, with a particular gift at setting the scene. One can situate themselves almost too accurately in the claustrophobic spaces between the drain pipes, feel the uncomfortable silence that fills the car ride home or the unsettling sexual tension between “the man Joseph” and his nearly-too-nice family friend Amanda Margaret.
A quiet and calculated novel, Insignificance will have your mind reeling as you eagerly comb your way through its horrors, humanity, and humour even past the last page.
Thank you to Coach House Books for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!