Wolf In White Van: A Novel

"In his taut, haunting novel, John Darnielle goes deep into the consciousness of a damaged kid turned isolated adult who builds a game that changes lives, by design and by accident. The protagonist, Sean Phillips, is unforgettable — brilliant, innocent, self-corrupted and a master of his imagined realm who, because of injuries he sustained as a teen, can’t drink out of a regular beer can. Darnielle lets Phillips tell his own story in remembrances that surface like points on an interactive map; the book’s structure is hypnotic and its plot feels epic, though not many encounters actually take place. One of indie rock’s great balladeers, Darnielle uses his gift for imagining whole lives in three-minute songs to open up a rich and hidden sphere that shows us much about adolescence, the imagination and the fluctuating nature of destiny."