The Octopus Man
ABOUT
THE BOOK
Once an outstanding law student Tom is now lost in the machinery of the British mental health system, talking to a voice no one else can hear: the voice of Malamock, the Octopus God – sometimes loving, sometimes cruel, but always there to guide him through life.
After a florid psychotic break, the pressure builds for Tom to take part in an experimental drugs trial that promises to silence the voice forever. But no one, least of all Tom, is prepared for what happens when the Octopus God is seriously threatened.
Deeply moving and tragi-comic, The Octopus Man takes us into the complex world of voice hearing in a bravura literary performance that asks the fundamental questions about belief, meaning, and love.
NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS
Although many books have explored the theme of mental illness, this one does it with energy, style and humour. The main character’s treatment (literally and figuratively) within the medical world is illuminating, funny and heart-breaking. Gibson’s writing style remains accessible and original throughout. Fingal Libraries, Ireland