To my surprise and delight, this turned out to be my favorite of the Scarlett Thomas novels I’ve read so far. It follows six young Britons—three women and three men—who apply for a job only to find themselves drugged and dumped on a (seemingly) deserted island for some unknown reason. The plot never really comes together, but this book is really all about character, and Thomas has created six complex and interesting ones here. They’re not all entirely likeable all of the time, but they feel real and honestly representative of a certain pop culture-soaked, purpose-deprived portion of my generation (or perhaps more accurately, the one right before mine, but close enough). I found them all at least somewhat relatable, often painfully so, and I also felt real affection for them, especially Anne, who easily earns a spot on the list of my favorite female characters. So despite being a book in which very little actually happens—mostly the six main characters just talk to each other—I couldn’t put it down.

Unfortunately, I think it’s out of print, but if you can find it (thank you, Friends of the Beverly Hills Library!) I definitely recommend it.