The Irish Existentialists opens with a scene where a man talks to himself in a bar. Not in a mumbling way, mind you; he's quite literally talking with himself, as he sits down next to himself and has a conversation. It's an intriguing beginning to this odd little novel, which then segues into what seems like a normal story of friends, breakups, and relationships in Dublin. But that odd opening scene hangs over the novel, leaving you wondering how these various threads - which seem to be jumping back and forth in time - will all tie together. The answer turns out to have some science-fiction trappings, but ultimately The Irish Existentialists isn't interested in being a sci-fi story. Instead, it plays with ideas about how our choices shape us, how regret forms a part of who we are, and what exactly are the forces that shape our lives. The Irish Existentialists is short, and that's somewhat for the best; it's a book that's mainly about a single idea, and while that idea is an interesting one, there's only so much you can get out of it, and even at its short length, the book sometimes feels like it's spinning its wheels a little bit here and there. Luckily, though, even the wheel-spinning is charming, as the characters' thoughts and musings remain interesting and thoughtful and the emotional hooks well-placed. The Irish Existentialists feels a bit like a demo for something more, or like a short story that's a bit too long, but it's enjoyable and thoughtful enough that you'll largely be satisfied with it, all the way to the inevitable but appropriate ending that caps it all off. And if it all feels a bit like the indie film version of a sci-fi tale, well, I like that kind of thing, so maybe I'm the perfect audience for it.
- Josh Mauthe
- Josh Mauthe