Scope and Contents Review from the Library Journal: A rich, intriguing maze of a "novel," this work packs more literary punch than most books twice the heft. The central text is about Jeff, a factory worker, whose life unravels when the "other" Jeff sabotages his job, relationships, and even dreams. Boyd (Sacred Hearts) opens with a life-or-death struggle between them in a graveyard and circles back in the "end." This battle might seem like a metaphor for an id-superego conflict or even multiple-personality disorder, but it's actually more complicated than that-the "real" Jeff ends up fighting back, complicating the double's more exciting life and leading readers to question who the "real" Jeff is. Over half of the book consists of brilliant short stories, allegories, and fairy tales contained in 14 appendixes and 22 annotations. Each could stand alone, but all enhance both the main story and one another. Boyd's writing is by turns gritty, darkly humorous, ironic, and elegant. -- Source of...

Scope and Contents Review from the Library Journal: A rich, intriguing maze of a "novel," this work packs more literary punch than most books twice the heft. The central text is about Jeff, a factory worker, whose life unravels when the "other" Jeff sabotages his job, relationships, and even dreams. Boyd (Sacred Hearts) opens with a life-or-death struggle between them in a graveyard and circles back in the "end." This battle might seem like a metaphor for an id-superego conflict or even multiple-personality disorder, but it's actually more complicated than that-the "real" Jeff ends up fighting back, complicating the double's more exciting life and leading readers to question who the "real" Jeff is. Over half of the book consists of brilliant short stories, allegories, and fairy tales contained in 14 appendixes and 22 annotations. Each could stand alone, but all enhance both the main story and one another. Boyd's writing is by turns gritty, darkly humorous, ironic, and elegant. -- Source of...