Blake Middleton Rats

In this novel about life, love and death, author Blake Middleton funnels David Markson’s poetry through his own peculiar lens. The result is a book that explores the futility of hope, while also celebrating the beauty of things in spite of decay. Middleton manages to transform life’s ennui into a funny, heartbreaking, and engrossing story. It’s the sort of book that makes you feel like a real human being.

While Britain’s population is small, the number of rats in some neighborhoods is rapidly increasing. Moreover, they’re turning to residential waste for food. As a result, the prime minister recently eased lockdown restrictions to allow more businesses, including pubs, to reopen. The rat population is up 25% in the United Kingdom.