Viața ca o glumă proastă

Paul has the gifts and background to do well. Yet he chooses a path that leads him down. He has charm and comes from a good family. He works in physics, pushes people away, and drinks a lot. His story spans more than thirty years. It starts when he must serve in the armed forces. It ends with his choice to leave work and social life. We follow his trips, thoughts, and ties to those around him. These include family, friends, partners, and people at work.

This novel looks at how a man fails. Paul sees his own fall but does not stop it. His life takes shape through talks and thoughts. Journals, emails, and other messages help tell his story. We hear his voice and those of other people. Their voices link private choices to a fate they share.

The book blends grief with mockery and blunt speech with hints at other texts. It pairs harshness with a wish for the past. Both science and art shape its world. What Paul thinks clashes with what he feels. Humor softens the dark events, as do jokes at his own expense. The story does not judge him in a firm way.

This is the first novel by Liviu Ornea. He writes, works in math, writes essays, and translates. The book earned a nomination at the 2023 Festival du Premier Roman de Chambéry.