Casanova 20: Or, Hot World

Davis (X) unfurls a fascinating if at times frustrating narrative of art and desire. Adrian, 29, is so beautiful that people follow him on the street in New York City, and he takes any lover he wants, man or woman. Suddenly, with spring fever in the air amid the first wave of Covid-19 vaccinations in 2021, he finds he’s either lost his beauty or people no longer see him. He books an appointment with therapist Lola and tells her how “it kind of feels like I’m disappearing.” Meanwhile, in Northern California, Adrian’s painter friend, Mark, is dying of a mysterious undiagnosed illness that previously claimed the lives of his mother and sister. He invites Adrian to visit, and Davis adds intrigue and subtle connective tissue with the cache of VHS tapes left behind by Mark’s sister, notably one entitled “Hot World,” which Adrian and Mark view together. These videos depict strange and surreal scenes such as “a woman draped like Salome” dancing while “Behind her, an alcazar stretches black against the dunes blurred by the setting sun.” The main plot line eventually resolves as the pair grapple with their mortality. Despite being a bit unfocused, this ethereal work holds the reader’s attention. Agent: Julia Kardon, HG Literary. (Dec.)

Correction: A previous version of this review misquoted the line about the alcazar.