What is the relation between identity and an actor’s talent? Who are those people who make a living being whoever? Mikuláš Mazel, the protagonist of Jiří Kratochvil’s latest novel, has the gift of a “perfect acting talent”. He takes the most varied and obscure acting engagements, and the picaresque storyline drops him in some weird and wonderful places. He comes to the gradual realisation that his talent is more of a curse than an advantage.

We all have the gift of some degree of acting talent; it is this which enables us to “integrate ourselves into the world of people” from our very first days. There may come a time, however, when this ability transforms itself into a fight for our very soul.