ＰＵＫＥＣＨＡＭＢＥＲ９８０００

@cIuns_ It is. The story is both disharmonious and unpleasant to read. Which is what makes it such an exciting piece of literature. There's a lot of research to be done when it comes to disassembling the characters and their motivations, bringing us to what made them the way they are.
          
          I think, perhaps, this 'tonal dissonance' as you put it, is the authors' portrayal of dissociation in his characters alongside a brutal detachment from reality; as would be the case for such traumatic events. I could be wrong, so feel free to correct me.
          
          This being said, not everything is for everyone, and if you disliked it, I could certainly see why. St. Aubyn's style of writing isn't for everyone, and I don't think I would enjoy attempting to emulate it.

@cIuns_ Despite being the first in a series focusing on Patrick, I found that it better serves as a psychological tour into the way a sociopath thinks and functions. This, of course, being David Melrose. His utter contempt for those around him, his sadistic desire to dismantle everyone around him, including his wife. Not to mention an unforgivable rape act involving his son. Without mentioning the rape at all, it lacerates your brain with not the physical abuse but the mental torment he inflicts upon his sufferers. His coarse mannerisms: sitting in the priceless Doge's chair, for example. He knew he shouldn't do the things that he does, and that serves as his motivation to do such things. He doesn't care about money, despite being married to a wealthy woman. He doesn't care about anyone.
          
          I hate to steal the spotlight from poor Patrick, who long suffered at the hands of his father, but Never Mind forces the reader to confront the source of such unimaginable pain to better understand the Schizoid way of life Patrick develops later on. 
          
          It's a harsh and unforgiving read, but worth it. I feel that it serves as one of the freshest, well-polished examples of just how depraved people can become, as well as a highly-accurate psychological, somewhat autobiographical, profile of one of the most despicable men contemporary literature has ever offered.