The Entrancing Inertia of Earth: Perspectives on Life's Geometric Patterns
Irish author Adrian Duncan delves into the intricacies of human relationships and the spatial dimension in his latest novel. A man of varied experiences, having worked as an engineer, visual artist, and now a writer, Duncan brings a unique perspective to his work. His fiction is populated with melancholic draftsmen, century-old bog-drainers, renowned bridge-builders, and fleeing mathematicians.
The novel, composed as a diptych, continues Duncan's literary exploration of space. In the first segment, an Irish statue-restorer named John, on a work trip in an anonymous city, finds himself entangled in a romantic affair with an Italian woman, while grappling with a suppressed memory from his Catholic upbringing.
In the second part of the narrative, set a decade later, John and his lover share a distant cohabitation when John learns of an old friend's imminent demise, who has requested that he pray for her. The problem? John hasn't prayed in years. Desperate, he wanders the churches of Bologna, questioning the stoic statues, and experiencing increasingly bizarre visions.
In what can be described as a thought-provoking exploration of intimacy's spatial dynamics, Duncan writes about the way lovers create spaces together, how reticent individuals bend or break, and how people can see each other with a new light. His tale invites readers to venture into the complexities of human relationships, offering a fresh take on the subject.
While it's not explicitly stated, a post on Duncan's Instagram suggests that this story revolves around the spatial reasoning of intimacy. Without more specific details, however, the exact nature of his novel remains undefined. Nevertheless, Duncan's work is known to delve into themes of intimacy and spatial reasoning, offering a unique and captivating reading experience.
John's novel, filled with intricate portrayals of human relationships, suggests a connection to a lifestyle centered on introspection and self-discovery. Amidst this narrative, the characters' interactions with books, art, and entertainment create a rich tapestry of experiences, mirroring Duncan's diverse background.
