Pay as You Go
Pay as You Go by Eskor David Johnson, published by McSweeney’s in 2023, is a vibrant exploration of urban life through the eyes of its protagonist, Slide. This 500-page work delves into the experiences of a newcomer in the bustling city of Polis, where Slide’s aspirations clash with the reality of his living situation. Instead of the luxurious apartment he envisioned, he finds himself in a cramped space with two unconventional roommates, setting the stage for a journey filled with humor and unexpected challenges.
Readers will follow Slide as he navigates the city’s diverse neighborhoods in search of the perfect home, encountering a variety of characters along the way. The narrative captures the essence of his quest, blending elements of fiction and world literature, particularly reflecting themes relevant to the Caribbean and West Indies. Through Slide’s odyssey, Pay as You Go presents a thought-provoking examination of belonging and the pursuit of one’s dreams amidst the chaos of urban existence.
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A finalist for the 2023 Young Lions Fiction Award. Shortlisted for the Center for Fiction 2023 First Novel Prize. Named a best book of 2023 by NPR.
New to town and delusionally confident, Slide imagined himself living in a glossy building with doormen and sweeping views of the skyline. Instead he’s landed in a creaking, stuffy apartment with two roommates: a loping giant who hardly leaves his room, and a weight-obsessed neurotic who keeps no fewer than forty-seven lamps throughout the house, blazing at all hours.
Unwilling to accept this fate, Slide–a barber with an opaque past–embarks on a quest for the perfect apartment, pinballing through the sprawling, madcap city of Polis and its endless procession of neighborhoods. As he bounces from foldout couch to disaster-relief tent, falling in with some tough types, Slide begins to realize that he’s going to have to scratch and claw just to claim a place for himself in this world–let alone a place with in-unit laundry.
An exuberant, fantastical odyssey, Pay As You Go wonders if what we’re searching for is ever really out there. Its pages–surreal, biting, and teeming with life–announce the startling talents of Eskor David Johnson, who knows that all any of us really want is a place to rest our head.
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