Not everything is as it appears

Not everything is as it appears, argues Tom McCarthy in his novel Satin Island. The truth is often hidden behind appearances, real, imagined, or imposed by elsewhere and for various reasons. In the search for truth, not all things can be taken at face value. The novel presents several relevant examples.

U. becomes interested in the skydiving death of the parachutist early on in the novel. It is a case which U. eagerly follows as it turns out the death was actually murder. At first appearing accidental, the death is later ruled a homicide. As a result, there is a murderer that has not yet been found. Even apparent suspects – several, in fact – are all released without being charged because there is not enough evidence to convict them. Though the truth behind the killing is never revealed, it does not matter...