Battle Book Club: 'Flesh' by David Szalay

The Book Club returns in April, in partnership with The Booking Club podcast, to discuss the 2025 Booker Prize winner.

On the 15 April, the Battle Book club will be partnering with The Booking Club podcast to discuss Flesh by David Szalay.

Flesh is a novel about the strangeness and isolation of modern life – one that, despite the increased availability of material resources, remains very often dictated by position and circumstance, driven by money and power.

The novel follows the life course of István, who as a 15-year-old boy makes his first mistakes in a small apartment in Hungary. He quickly seems to lose control of where his life is headed. He is carried to London, where a string of unfulfilling jobs leads him to the circles of the upper-class elite in London.

The desire for security, power and intimacy often leave him in troubling situations, and isolated from those closest to him. István’s relationships are complicated and messy. And as a man of little words, readers are left questioning his feelings, motivations and sense of belonging.

The passivity of István to the external forces determining his position highlight the uncertainty and malaise of modern life, paralysed by the complexity of contemporary society. István is a ‘non-agentic’ character whose path is forged by desires and systems beyond his control. That sense is strengthened by the framing of István as defined and rooted by his physical body, often craving a physical outlet whether in war, sex or violence.

Szalay has been praised, and criticised, for his passive narrative. Relying on very few words to convey the thoughts and feelings of his characters, he is seen to invite the reader to fill in the gaps and build the character and the story with him. This leaves readers questioning the meaning and purpose of life, and why it is worth living.

István’s lack of outspoken voice and desire to control the situations that define him give the reader a complex picture of human morality in a system where virtue is forgone for immediate needs and desires. Yet can his passivity make readers more sympathetic, as he is seemingly not malicious, just lost and lonely.

Bringing to light the depressing impact of declining social norms and morals on interpersonal understanding and individual agency and purpose, Szalay’s novel evokes key questions about humanity, money, power and control.

Join us to discuss Flesh with Jack Aldane on Wednesday 15 April 7:00pm-8:15pm via Zoom. This event is free but please sign up via Eventbrite.

In the meantime, you can listen to Jack Aldane’s interview with David Szalay about his favourite Martin Amis book, The Information, on The Booking Club Substack.

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