Matthieu ZΘla is 256 years old. In about 1800, when he was 50-plus, he simply stopped ageing, allowing him to duck and dive through the alleys of history without fear of dying of old age. Comparisons with Patrick Sⁿskind's Perfume, and Andrew Miller's Ingenious Pain are inevitable, as their protagonists all share a supernatural invincibility. As far as descriptive clout and narrative flow go, Boyne, a first-time Irish novelist more than holds his own. Yet it's hard at times to see just why he wants his hero to live forever unless it's just to have fun popping him into historical settings. In a strong debut, Boyne has missed an opportunity to really question notions of fate, mutability and man's will to live.
By Louise East
