A coming-of-age novel set over two days and nights in Marseille. Antonio is on the cusp of adulthood and the last hurdle seems to be getting the all-clear that he's outgrown his idiopathic generalized epilepsy. To do so, he's got to stay awake for 48 hours under the supervision of his estranged father. 1980s Marseilles becomes the backdrop for Antonio's introspection and the development of his relationship with his father.

I found this book to be entrancing. I really appreciated the translator's note and thoughtfulness - I'd recommend reading it at the outset to get the full force of the clear and and unadorned translation. The book flows really well (literally nothing to break the pacing, since they can't sleep), but the moments where Antonio learns more about his father stand out as particularly impressive vignettes. I guess I'm in a real "understanding your parents as fully-realized people as you become an adult," and I found some of these realizations to be particularly thought-provoking.

Content warnings for

brief moments of police violence, a visit to a sex shop with implied masturbation, casual racism from minor characters, and a consensual sex scene between Antonio and an adult that I think is really meant to parallel the way his father lost his virginity but certainly isn't not squicky because of the age gap.