Feeling strangely elated after a phone call arranged by his gay non-identical twin brother George (author of sensationally semi-fictional biographies of dead celebrities) in which he has agreed to spend an hour naked in bed with a stranger, 33-year-old Jay (assistant librarian, allegedly straight) embarks on a short, sharp journey of belated self-discovery. In the midst of a hot London summer's explosive encounters, dramatic revelations and unfolding chaotic events, old brotherly antagonisms and contrasting mother issues return to the surface as various relationships form and then become fluid. And two years later, when at last the turmoil has settled and exciting things appear to lie ahead, a menacingly different version of the past is threatening to uncover a dangerous secret.
"a book of big, farcically dramatic moments" Kirkus Reviews
A satirical take on the multiplying ways in which art and the media, and even we ourselves in our daily interactions, are constantly blurring the line between fiction and fact, Reimagining Ben is also a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the trials and tribulations, triumphs and occasional absurdities, of our complex modern-day relationships and imperfect modern-day lives.
Contains Mature Themes and Strong Language
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Insecure and unassuming 30-something Jay embarks on an existential trip of epic proportions as he embarks on an all too real journey of discovery. Set against a backdrop of a hot London summer that's as warped as his own fractured identity and with a small cast of characters that are as symbolic as they are satirical, Jay's experiences–almost all set in real-time–unfold in a painfully tender way that's both faraway and relatable.
Prose: Cacoyannis's prose is beautiful and funny; tragic and heartfelt–it contains magnitudes. A thoroughly clever and entertaining read that's as much a social commentary as an exploration of one man's demons, Reimagining Ben is a joy to read from start to finish.
Originality: What makes Reimagining Ben so delightfully original isn't its plot or even its characters–what sets it apart is its ability to elevate the seemingly mundane to a tragic farce that, despite its forays into absurdity, manages to stay genuine and oddly beautiful.
Character/Execution: Jay is the heart of Reimagining Ben and Cacoyannis captures his struggles beautifully–his insecurity, his ambiguous sexuality, his curiosity–all are revealed through thoughtful interactions with both himself and others. Ben, Andy, Gino, Rita, and even George (at times) are all shifting archetypes of Jay himself and their presence is necessary to reveal hidden (and not so hidden) truths.
Date Submitted: April 02, 2024
“In this lightly absurdist comedy, fraternal twin brothers find their lives upended by a narcissistic writer and exacerbated by their unresolved rivalry. Jay and George Raven are a curious and contentious pair of siblings living in North London. The foulmouthed George is a celebrity biographer who flamboyantly reinvents his subjects’ lives for his readers. All he says and does is equal parts clever and crushing, and he rarely lets up on his brother for being born mere minutes before he was. In contrast, Jay is a librarian and serial apologizer, envious of George’s good looks and his confidence as a gay man… Early on, George notes that “nonsense is the meaning of life,” a welcoming nod to the good time that awaits readers...
Cacoyannis’ novel recalls Tom Stoppard’s play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead in that beyond one uproarious moment when Jay and Andy have to stop George from hanging Ben with a makeshift noose, much of the action takes place offstage... But it is not just what the characters say that charms in each scene. Even minor acts, such as ordering drinks at a restaurant, reveal much about the players through their tics, pauses, and silences with an impressive thrift… A humorous and entertaining character study of two brothers besieged by the preposterous.”
