Jonathan Lethem's novel The Fortress Of Solitude is probably more correctly two novels with an interlude. The first half concerns itself with the friendship Dylan and Mingus; the second half focuses mostly on the continuing effects of childhood into adulthood. The Dylan character always felt arm's length from the me. If asked if he would do A or B or C, I wouldn't be able to guess. After spending 500 pages in someone's head, I thought the relationship would be closer. Still, I enjoyed it.
It was entirely possible that one song could destroy your life. Yes, musical doom could fall on a lone human form and crush it like a bug. The song, that song, was sent from somewhere else to find you, to pick the scab of your whole existence... At the very least the song was a soundtrack to your destruction...
The third main character of the novel is Brooklyn in all its gritty glory.
You could grow up in the city where history was made and still miss it all.
Not to call yourself a zombie. But you did stalk an unreal city.
