Unknown

Out of My Head is an entertaining and gripping psychological thriller. The premise is simple: Martin Harris, an American man who has just moved to Paris wakes up from a coma and heads towards the new apartment he shares with his wife. He gets there to find another man living there, claiming to be him. Harris then embarks on a Kafkaesque quest to regain his identity, where he ponders the nature of identity itself, with the help of a lonely neurologist and an enthusiastic cab driver. This is a slim, clever novel; Van Cauwelaert will have you fooled. Enjoy this engrossing novel.

While a weak ending hurts somewhat the overall impression one might get from this book, it's still a thought-provoking (and brief!) read. After awakening from a coma, Martin Harris discovers that he has been "replaced" by someone else with his name, and that nobody from his former life recognizes or acknowledges him. Martin spends the novel doing 2 things - trying to prove to others who he really is, and questioning his own existence. While he may not be breaking any new ground, Van Cauweleart definitely makes the reader think about the value and meaning of memories and self-awareness. A great book, one that would likely be worthy of 5 stars if not for the poor finish.