The Somnambulist of the title is a giant, milk-chugging mute who is the partner of Edward Moon, a self-described conjurer. Together they embark on a murder investigation and encounter one strange person after another, including a genius asylum inmate and a man who experiences life backwards. The inventive plot matches the imaginative characters, and the setting of Victorian England only enhances the oddness. Entirely unpredictable, Barnes springs one surprise after another, culminating in the identity of the narrator. Rich with backstory, there are hints of many other stories to tell and I hope to meet these characters again in other books.
First Sentence:
Be warned.
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