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Oct 14, 2016ryner rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Inebriated and in the throes of a drug-induced hallucination, our morally bankrupt narrator drives off a mountain slope and wakes up in a hospital burn ward. Upon realizing the extent of his injuries and losses he half-heartedly humors his care specialists, but in fact has plans to commit suicide upon his release in the most spectacular manner imaginable -- that is, until Marianne Engel walks into his hospital room and captivates him with tales of their life together...in the 1300s. One thought-provoking passage caught my eye: "I understand that some people find God after misfortune, although this seems to me even more ridiculous than finding Him in good times [...] It's like not wanting a romantic relationship until a member of the opposite sex punches you in the face." I loved Marianne's stories from the past, and found them almost more charming than the goings-on of the present. The ending could have been stronger, but overall: recommended.