- YOU NOW HAVE ONE CHOICE
A 2008 Novel by Scarlett Thomas
Ariel Manto is a literature student, intrigued by dusty books and old, abandoned science. Her true interest is the work of Thomas Lumas, Victorian scientist, writer, and crackpot.
So when she wanders into a secondhand book shop and finds his most obscure book "The End of Mr Y", nearly forgotten and rumoured to be cursed, she wastes no time in getting to grips with the mysterious story. The story tells of a potion that lets you travel to the troposphere note —a bizarre world of dreams, ideas and memories.
It's not long before she finds the recipe for the potion and tries it herself, regardless of risks or costs. And within the Troposphere, she learns things aren't what they seem, as she faces big questions of self, time and reality.
This book provides examples of:
- Androcles' Lion: Ariel saves a mouse early on, which gets her the favour of a god.
- Appearance Is in the Eye of the Beholder: Everything in the Troposphere.
- Brown Note: There's a strong suggestion that anyone who reads Lumas's book enters the Troposphere and eventually dies.
- Funny Animal: How Ariel perceives Apollo Smintheus. He's rather amused by the fact.
- Gods Need Prayer Badly: Gods are created and powered by belief.
- It's A Small Net After All: While "The End of Mr Y" is a rather obscure title, it's rather odd that there are only 3 entries on the entire net that get found.
- Mental Affair: At one point Ariel has sex inside the Troposphere.
- Significant Anagram: Ariel herself I Am Not Real.
