Carnality

Wolff’s spellbinding latest (after The Polyglot Lovers) blends mystery and melodrama with a meditation on morality and the power of storytelling. Swedish writer Bennedith travels to Madrid on a summer work stipend, and, unsure of what to do with herself when she arrives in the sweltering capital, she volunteers as caretaker for a man with advancing Alzheimer’s. One night, she falls into conversation with a nervous man, Mercuro, in a neighborhood bar. He teases out details of his recent life story, and his stranger-than-fiction saga has it all: lost love, terminal illness, and a vicious nun named Lucia whom he claims ruined his life, all tied together via a blockchain-backed underground reality TV show called Carnality. But Mercuro will only give the full story to Bennedith if she provides him with a place to stay in return. After she agrees and he moves into her flat, she gets romantically involved with Mercuro and develops an intense correspondence with Lucia, who approves of Bennedith’s volunteer work but warns her about Mercuro. Wolff poses fascinating questions about the nature of morality and attachment throughout the propulsive narrative, making for a triumph of ingenuity. Readers won’t want this to end. (July)