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Nick Taussig's debut novel is the story of Jack Stolz and Catherine Ramirez, two strangers who meet at a dinner party and – out of character for him and quite the norm for her – embark on a rollercoaster ride of lust, love and eventually depression. Shortly afterwards Jack has a chance encounter with an alcoholic homeless man that changes both his and Catherine's lives forever. At times Love and Mayhem seems to be more of a book on the notion of love rather than the actual story of two people's chance meeting and the path it leads them down. Whilst this means it sometimes loses its narrative focus, it is also makes it an at times compelling read. Everyone is likely to recognise a piece of themselves in Jack and Catherine and you wonder just how much of the book is based upon Taussig's own experiences – his depiction of depression, particularly, is startlingly accurate. It may not be a classic but Love and Mayhem is a darkly powerful story of love and its ability to destroy. Review by James Cocks |
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Nick Taussig – Love and Mayhem