Player One by Douglas Coupland

This is the first book I read by Douglas Coupland, and I'm currently reading a second of his - I've truly fallen head over heels for his writing style.

Player One is set in an airport cocktail lounge (but it seems to be a separate building to the airport so I'm a bit confused, but it's in Canada so duh) and a big drama happens and 4 people are stuck there. The book is split into 5 parts, and each part into 5 sub-parts: one for each character, and one for Player One who is sort of a narrator.

As the parts of the story unfold, we learn about the different characters - the barman, the woman who's flown across the country to meet an internet date, the ex-pastor and the beautiful girl who doesn't quite seem human. As different from each other as they are, the tragedy they encounter brings them together - as does the incredible way in which they're written. You feel as though you know them all, even though the chance of knowing 4 individual people who fit those descriptions is pretty slim. But you feel like you do anyway.

You feel like you've been to the bar, like you've been a pastor, like you've traveled across the country to meet a stranger. You feel not-quite-human yourself, and you feel like you're there, experiencing this disaster alongside them - Player One constantly ensuring you know exactly what's going on.

It's a story about the things that bring strangers together, and about religion and how it plays such a massive part in all of our lives, consciously or not. It's about love and life and being the best person you can be, and second chances and figuring out the right path for you.

Player One is a beautiful story, and one I'd definitely recommend - it's one I can see myself reading again and again. It's easy to read and follow, yet at the same time it's got so much depth and I think that's the best kind of book. It definitely left a mark on me.

Have you read any Douglas Coupland?