The Arena of the Unwell

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The Arena of the Unwell is a gritty and exhilarating exploration of loneliness and longing, obsession and jealousy, queerness and male intimacy. Throughout the course of the story, Konemann presents his readers with an uncompromising interrogation of the contradicting and often obscure nature of love and desire. I really enjoyed Konemann's non-fiction book The Appendix, but I was particularly drawn to this book from the premise, particularly the promise of it being suffused with a grimy indie music scene, and that did not disappoint.

The book cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket (if applicable) is included for hard covers. I really enjoyed Konemann’s non-fiction book The Appendix, but I was particularly drawn to this book from the premise, particularly the promise of it being suffused with a grimy indie music scene, and that did not disappoint. As such he seems to feel an increased sense of alienation and has few opportunities for romantic encounters. That being said, Konemann’s portrayal of the toxic central love triangle is a bit one-note, long-winded and repetitive; cheapened by the narrative’s reliance on coincidentally overheard/overseen conversations and interactions. Noah becomes wholly consumed by their relationship, to the point where he compromises himself to belong with them.A coming of age novel for people who like or came of age themselves deeply into music, The Arena of the Unwell spirals the reader into not only sticky floors and spilt pints, but a hard-to-put-down toxic relationship amidst the realities of NHS cuts for mental health services. Noah, an inexperienced queer guy whose biggest relationship so far has been his obsession with a cult indie band, finds himself getting caught up in the complicated, toxic dynamic between flatmates Dylan and Fraser. Like Vine, Konemann has given his narrative a very nostalgic vibe, one that doesn’t see the past through rose-tinted lenses, quite the contrary.

This is a natural response from someone with very low self esteem, but he also fails to engage in other people's lives in a way which might allow him to feel more connected and gain a sense of community.John ‘Jock’ Findlay was born and brought up in the heart of the burgeoning West Lothian shale oil industry. Instead, the story seems structured in a way where the fault lies entirely with the two men who draw them into their twisted (and frankly baffling) co-dependency. Pulled into a toxic and codependent relationship with Dylan and his brooding, enigmatic friend Fraser, Noah bounces distractedly between sweaty gigs and clubs, swapping beds and friends along the way. As Smiling Politely gear up to their first album in five years, he finds himself navigating their intense relationship, all while counting down his NHS-allocated therapy hours and spiralling mental health.

this had, in my eyes, the most real, unfiltered and related representation of anxiety and depression i’ve read in quite a while, maybe ever. After years away, his favourite band Smiling Politely announce a last-minute set in a nearby venue and everything starts to shift. With all that being said, there are some truly harrowing and very realistic descriptions of addiction throughout. The protagonist of debut novel “The Arena of the Unwell” is Noah, a 20-something North Londoner who is into indie music and feels “I'm a pretty sub-standard gay – not quite up to date on the culture and customs.Though he has a number of people in his life who want to help and support him when he's having a hard time, he continuously bats away their offers or ignores them. Absolutely, but the mistakes they made along the way were human, and it felt completely raw and I absolutely loved that. It's interesting how (though ostensibly successful) this band member equally can't pull himself out of a downward spiral.

The indie music scene serves as a backdrop to Konemann’s troubling character study, which really adds to the novel’s edgy atmosphere.After a gig from his favourite band Smiling Politely turns sour, twenty-something Noah finds himself panicked on the streets of London. HarperCollins UK publishes a wide range of books, from cutting-edge contemporary fiction, to block-busting thrillers, from fantasy literature and children’s stories to enduring classics.