Daniel's Beetles

At the age of six, Daniel was playing with insects in the garden when he saw his father fall to his death. Forty years later, Daniel is a middle-aged entomologist stuck in an unsatisfying relationship and caring for his increasingly forgetful mother. His humdrum life takes a dramatic turn when a blind woman joins his monthly reading group and recruits him to prepare translations for a mysterious company. As his new job’s duties become all-consuming, the boundaries between reality and fantasy, memory and experience, and vision and blindness all begin to blur. Gradually, Daniel uncovers a sinister way to help his mother enjoy her memories and, in turn, rewrite his own past. Offering a fresh perspective on the subjects of memory and deceit, this narrative also provides insight into the world of contemporary Welsh literature.