They say time stands still in the ruins, but memories never fade. In celebrated British author Hari Kunzru’s latest book, Blue Ruin, time moves back and forth seamlessly even as Jay, a down-on-luck artist looks back on the ruins of his life. The author sets the ball rolling with two former lovers, Jay and Alice, both art students, meeting by accident after decades at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although Jay was touted as a promising artist during his heyday in London’s art circles, the harsh reality is that today Jay is sick and living out of his car. He struggles for one square meal and earns a living by doing odd jobs and delivering groceries to the wealthy folks in the posh leafy neighbourhood of New York..
