I'm Off by Jean Echenoz

I'm Off

Jean Echenoz

If you're in the mood for a quirky and amusing tale containing an ageing Parisian art dealer, an expedition to the Arctic, and a mystery surrounding some stolen artefacts, then this book is for you.

Extract
The ambulance men were handsome young lads, calm, reassuring and well muscled; they were in blue uniforms, with leather accessories and clasps at their belts. Gently they laid Ferrer on a stretcher, meticulously the stretcher was loaded into their van. Ferrer felt protected now. Without stopping to think that this was remarkably like the February incident, although frankly less agreeable, he tried to recover a rudimentary use of speech in the ambulance, but was kindly bidden to keep quiet till they reached the hospital. Which he did. Then he blacked out again.
Parallels
  • The Shipping News by E Annie Proulx