The Simian tune mentioned above is one of the key songs in the protagonist's story of his life, his love and more with Ego Faber, Rein and Zara. He arrives in Amsterdam, bubbling with anticipation about the joys of a life as a student in this big city full of promises. Intrigued by the airy-fairy Ego Faber he lives it all: the booze, the drugs, the sex, at large parties, at small parties, often overwhelming, at times disappointing, but also destructive. He meets Zara, falls hopelessly for her and refunds her as the girlfriend of his buddy and model Ego.

 

Seleky's novel pulls the reader into the nightlife scene, but also into the inner life of a generation that tries to find its way through partying, a generation that has to find a way past the debris of Twin Towers, past the assassinations of Fortuyn and Van Gogh, climaxing in the London Underground attacks. The tensions between the friends are uncomfortable but nothing new, the characters, however, of the ever-worrying narrator, of the perfect Zara and the unpredictable Ego are beautifully portrayed.

 

Even more successful is the way debutant Seleky weaves in the music into the story of four friends. Seleky is still young, but he seems confident about the way the book as a medium will go: the trendy music boosts off the paper pages and continues to resonate in the reader's ears in an attempt to prolong that short period the four friends share. 

 

 

text by Erik de Loor / transl. by Mina Witteman / photo by Ted Lauren