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J. J. O'Malley, rescued from a Romanian orphanage and adopted by a rural Irish community, endures a brutal upbringing that culminates in a catastrophic mental breakdown. Volunteering for an experimental government project, he enters a deep coma intended for future penal use. While unconscious on a prison ship off west Ireland, he becomes a cultural icon—sex symbol, existential hero, and philosophical figure—garnered through media coverage and EEG studies. Five narrators, including his father, neighbor, teacher, public representative, and sweetheart, reveal the true story of his life and probe the forces shaping his present state. The novel blends science fiction with a tender portrait of small‑town Ireland, offering a compassionate examination of identity and how it is safeguarded by those who love us.
First publish date: 2013
Genre: Literary Fiction/Contemporary Literary Fiction
Authors: Mike McCormack
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5.0 (1 community ratings)

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Notes from a coma by Mike McCormack

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