You Disappear: A Novel
In another thought-provoking novel (after The Exception, 2007), Danish author Jungersen takes on the mysteries of the human mind. Schoolteacher Mia is devastated when doctors discover that her husband, Frederik, a headmaster, has a brain tumor, which is changing his personality. Then she learns that he has embezzled millions from his school. The comfortable life they have built for themselves and their son is soon dismantled as Frederik is arrested and they are forced to sell their house and belongings to pay back the embezzled funds. As Mia looks back at her life, she realizes that she had been incredibly happy the last few years because Frederik had become so much more attentive to their relationship, but was his behavior authentic or the result of the tumor? Mia also finds herself attracted to a fellow member in her support group for the spouses of people with brain injuries. Incorporating articles on brain research and free will, the novel is, at times, erratically paced, but several plot twists and fascinating discussions about “abnormal” behavior make for an intriguing read. --Joanne Wilkinson