This is unlike other books by Jay Edson here. It's first an inquiry into insanity. Is society insane? Is there really such a thing as schizophrenia and, if so, what is the nature of psychosis? Congenital? Brought on by circumstances? A mixture?
Two people, a man and a woman are provisionally released from a psych hospital in the US state of Maine. They must keep taking their meds and there's a social worker around to ensure they have regular blood tests. The man and the woman slowly get to know each other and the woman's 12yo son, Kiya, who is in danger of being snatched by social services and placed in foster care.
In response to a direct question from the mother as to whether he loves Kiya, he answers simply "Yes".
The man hears voices: an alien on the run and an angel. The alien warns the man that he must flee with both woman and boy to Tanzania where there's a good chance they'll all be hard to find and therefore safe.
Having read it, I think it's one of those very rare books which will stay with me for the rest of my life. There is no false note in this book, no opinion put forward that I disagree with. (And it's full of opinions.) Jay Edson and I are very much on the same page.
