Outline is a novel about story telling, and the desire to express and create. A writer goes to Athens to teach a writing course and becomes the audience to a series of narratives or monologues from the people she meets.

The style reminded me of 10:04, especially in how meta the text felt. It was as if the reader was being allowed to look in and see how a novel was written. The novel is cleverly set out; the protagonist asks the right questions to induce or prompt the response she is looking for, as if she is steering characters to express their anxieties or desires. We get to know the protagonist and her life somewhat, in her interactions with the other characters, but I was intrigued by her and wanted to know more.

The only thing I found a bit unrealistic or perhaps slightly pretentious was the way all the characters seem to speak in one universal voice and tone. All the monologues felt like polished prose, even though half of the characters aren’t writers. However, I still really appreciated and enjoyed the style and complexity of the text and each character’s narration.