Johnny tells him that he is not responsible for the switch. He admits he wanted out of his old life and tells Max that Max must have been willing for the trade to occur. As we watch a now homeless Max try to survive on the street, de Lint cleverly unwinds the tale and we gradually see how Max could have possibly subconsciously agreed to switch bodies with such a low-life loser. He also finds himself battling biochemical problems endemic to his new body. Evidently Devlin had a mean temper and suffered from a mild manic depression.
Trader is also an exploration of friendship.
Friendship is the strongest thing in Zeffy's and Tanya's lives, and it's what's most missing from both Johnny's and Max's. His characters are well-crafted and individuated. The cast of Trader is much larger than listed here, but this would be the never-ending review if I included them all. Let's just say that this is definitely a book worth checking out. Charles de Lint, Trader .