This definitely falls under the category of books I’ve read that seem to make no sense, until the end when things slot into place and there’s a satisfying sense of fulfilment to be had. Nothing much happens, but the ending felt so charming and hopeful that I couldn’t help but get rather emotional.
Our main character is the lonely Guylain Vignolles. The only thing he feels he has in his life is a goldfish - the fifth of its type. He spends his day pulping books (not sure why) and for someone who loves reading this is a horrendous torture. So Guylain rescues random pages and spends his commute to work reading extracts aloud.
Initially, we get to see how Guylain’s actions impact those who travel with him. They seem to love this experience, which I’m not sure is wholly accurate for a morning commute. Still, it offers him some interest to start the day.
One day he discovers a USB stick, on which appear to be the writings of a lonely young woman called Julie. Through his reading of her musings we learn a little of her daily life and experience, and get to know about her character. Taken in isolation we might see this as another story, but with the help of a friend Guylain tries to find Julie.
By the end I was quite intrigued to see what would happen. I still don’t feel it is an easy book to talk to people about, but it’s certainly one I’d recommend.