Staff Pick
With an outlandish premise that is equal parts discomforting and absurd, From the Shadows probes the psyche of a middle-aged man who, after having been unceremoniously laid-off, decides to dabble in a bit of domestic hermitism. That is, he surreptitiously occupies the negative space, both literal and figurative, in a nuclear family's suburban abode, tidying up and doing odd jobs when no one is looking. As privacy violations go, it's on the deeply troubling side, but Juan José Millás injects this you-won't-believe-what-happens-next setup with enough unexpected poignancy and improbable comedy to create an irresistible — and utterly strange — experience. A novel you must read to believe. Recommended By Justin W., Powells.com
A compellingly weird reflection on identity and alienation, From the Shadows follows Damien, the talk show host in his head, and the family he gets unexpectedly close to. Slightly absurd and often uncomfortable, this is a different kind of ghost story. Recommended By Keith M., Powells.com
What would you do if the antique wardrobe you were hiding in was being delivered to a house in the suburbs? While explaining his actions to an imaginary talk show host, Damien Lobo decides to secretly live in the wardrobe and help his new family with the cleaning while they're out. At turns absurdly funny, awkwardly uncomfortable, and mundane yet surreal, you'll never see where this book is headed. Recommended By Amy W., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
" From the Shadows is] about alienation, loneliness, voyeurism, and the power of fantasy to transform claustrophobic, humdrum lives. Written by one of Spain's most original and important authors and set in contemporary Madrid . . . it is an] allegory that turns middle-class comfort into a desert island." --Public Books
"The narrative of Juan Jos Mill s, our literary Buster Keaton, is inimitable and unique." --La Vanguardia
Laid off from his job, Dami n Lobo obsessively imagines himself as a celebrity being interviewed on TV. After committing an act of petty theft at an antiques market, he finds himself trapped inside a wardrobe and delivered to the seemingly idyllic home of a husband, wife, and their internet-addicted teenage daughter. There, he sneaks from the shadows to serve as an invisible butler, becoming deeply and disastrously involved with his unknowing host family. Every thread of the plot is ingeniously tied together, creating a potent admixture of parable, love story, and thriller. Mill s masterfully reveals the everyday as innately surreal as he renders the unbelievable tangible and the trivial fantastical, and full of dark humor.
Juan Jos Mill s is the recipient of Spain's most prestigious literary prizes: the Premio Nadal, Premio Planeta, and Premio Nacional de Narrativa. A regular contributor to El Pa s, Mill s has also won many awards for his journalism. He is the author of several short story collections and works of nonfiction as well as over a dozen novels, including From the Shadows, the first of his novels to be published in North America. He lives in Madrid.
Synopsis
"Part surreal comedy, part dark parable, Mill s's wild work brings readers face to face with the mundane facets of middle-class suburban life. . . . A page-turner of the strangest order, Mill s's debut stuns and entrances. It's impossible to put down." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Laid off from his job, Dami n Lobo obsessively imagines himself as a celebrity being interviewed on TV. After committing an act of petty theft at an antiques market, he finds himself trapped inside a wardrobe and delivered to the seemingly idyllic home of a husband, wife, and their internet-addicted teenage daughter. There, he sneaks from the shadows to serve as an invisible butler, becoming deeply and disastrously involved with his unknowing host family. Every thread of the plot is ingeniously tied together, creating a potent admixture of parable, love story, and thriller. Mill s masterfully reveals the everyday as innately surreal as he renders the unbelievable tangible and the trivial fantastical, and full of dark humor.
Juan Jos Mill s is the recipient of Spain's most prestigious literary prizes: the Premio Nadal, Premio Planeta, and Premio Nacional de Narrativa. A regular contributor to El Pa s, Mill s has also won many awards for his journalism. He is the author of several short story collections and works of nonfiction as well as over a dozen novels, including From the Shadows, the first of his novels to be published in North America. He lives in Madrid.
Synopsis
"Begins as entertaining slapstick, subtly metamorphoses into fable. . . . As the narrator's] vivid imaginary world fuses with reality this deceptively ethereal novel advances toward a dark and startling finale." --Wall Street Journal
"A page-turner of the strangest order, Mill s's debut stuns and entrances. It's impossible to put down." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Laid off from his job, Dami n Lobo obsessively imagines himself as a celebrity being interviewed on TV. After committing an act of petty theft at an antiques market, he finds himself trapped inside a wardrobe and delivered to the seemingly idyllic home of a husband, wife, and their internet-addicted teenage daughter. There, he sneaks from the shadows to serve as an invisible butler, becoming deeply and disastrously involved with his unknowing host family. Every thread of the plot is ingeniously tied together, creating a potent admixture of parable, love story, and thriller. Mill s masterfully reveals the everyday as innately surreal as he renders the unbelievable tangible and the trivial fantastical, and full of dark humor.
Juan Jos Mill s is the recipient of Spain's most prestigious literary prizes: the Premio Nadal, Premio Planeta, and Premio Nacional de Narrativa. A regular contributor to El Pa s, Mill s has also won many awards for his journalism. He is the author of several short story collections and works of nonfiction as well as over a dozen novels, including From the Shadows, the first of his novels to be published in North America. He lives in Madrid.
Synopsis
Publishers Weekly "Top 10 Book of the Year" selection
"Begins as entertaining slapstick, subtly metamorphoses into fable. . . . As the narrator's] vivid imaginary world fuses with reality this deceptively ethereal novel advances toward a dark and startling finale." --Wall Street Journal
Laid off from his job, Dami n Lobo obsessively imagines himself as a celebrity being interviewed on TV. After committing an act of petty theft at an antiques market, he finds himself trapped inside a wardrobe and delivered to the seemingly idyllic home of a husband, wife, and their internet-addicted teenage daughter. There, he sneaks from the shadows to serve as an invisible butler, becoming deeply and disastrously involved with his unknowing host family. Every thread of the plot is ingeniously tied together, creating a potent admixture of parable, love story, and thriller. Mill s masterfully reveals the everyday as innately surreal as he renders the unbelievable tangible and the trivial fantastical, and full of dark humor.
Juan Jos Mill s is the recipient of Spain's most prestigious literary prizes: the Premio Nadal, Premio Planeta, and Premio Nacional de Narrativa. A regular contributor to El Pa s, Mill s has also won many awards for his journalism. He is the author of several short story collections and works of nonfiction as well as over a dozen novels, including From the Shadows, the first of his novels to be published in North America. He lives in Madrid.
Synopsis
Publishers Weekly "Top 10 Books of the Year" selection
Laid off from his job, Dami n Lobo obsessively imagines himself as a celebrity being interviewed on TV. After committing an act of petty theft at an antiques market, he finds himself trapped inside a wardrobe and delivered to the seemingly idyllic home of a husband, wife, and their internet-addicted teenage daughter. There, he sneaks from the shadows to serve as an invisible butler, becoming deeply and disastrously involved with his unknowing host family. Every thread of the plot is ingeniously tied together, creating a potent admixture of parable, love story, and thriller. Mill s masterfully reveals the everyday as innately surreal as he renders the unbelievable tangible and the trivial fantastical, and full of dark humor.
Juan Jos Mill s is the recipient of Spain's most prestigious literary prizes: the Premio Nadal, Premio Planeta, and Premio Nacional de Narrativa. He is the author of several short story collections and works of nonfiction as well as over a dozen novels, including From the Shadows, the first of his novels to be published in North America. He lives in Madrid.
Synopsis
Publishers Weekly "Top 10 Books of the Year" selection
From one of Spain's most original authors comes a wild, absurdist story about a lonely man's misguided attempts to connect
Laid off from his job, Dami n Lobo obsessively imagines himself as a celebrity being interviewed on TV. After committing an act of petty theft at an antiques market, he finds himself trapped inside a wardrobe and delivered to the seemingly idyllic home of a husband, wife, and their internet-addicted teenage daughter. There, he sneaks from the shadows to serve as an invisible butler, becoming deeply and disastrously involved with his unknowing host family. Every thread of the plot is ingeniously tied together, creating a potent admixture of parable, love story, and thriller. Mill s masterfully reveals the everyday as innately surreal as he renders the unbelievable tangible and the trivial fantastical, and full of dark humor.