SOLENOID BY MIRCEA CĂRTĂRESCU, Tr. SEAN COTTER
Mircea Cărtărescu’s Solenoid is an extraordinary novel that defies conventional storytelling. The solenoid itself is likely a metaphor for the forces shaping the protagonist’s reality—both visible and hidden, real and surreal, waking and dreamlike—ultimately causing him to levitate beyond reason.
The novel lacks a traditional plot, instead embracing a non-linear, autobiographical narrative centred on a disillusioned schoolteacher who once aspired to be a writer. The story oscillates between his present life as a teacher, his childhood memories, and his surreal dreams. Set in Bucharest, the protagonist experiences bizarre and fantastical events, many of which are linked to the mysterious floating solenoids buried beneath the city.
Cărtărescu weaves an intricate web of references, delving into the lives of figures such as Ethel Lilian Boole, the author of The Gadfly, as well as Kafka, Tesla, Nicolae Vaschide, and others. One of the most fascinating aspects of the novel is its exploration of mathematical concepts, including topology, dimensions, tesseracts, the history of the Rubik’s Cube, and even the Möbius strip—a one-dimensional loop that I personally found captivating. These elements further enhance the novel’s surreal atmosphere.
The book also paints a vivid portrait of school life, portraying teachers as powerful yet powerless, strong yet weak. The protagonist’s reflections on the staffroom dynamics, gossip, and interactions with colleagues add depth to his character. One particularly intriguing figure is Irina, the physics teacher, who initially avoids him but later befriends him. Another memorable character is the teacher with an enormous gold ring, who knocks students on the head with it—an amusing yet unsettling image.
The novel’s dream sequences are strikingly Kafkaesque, featuring endless falls into the earth’s core or bottomless pits, grotesque human embryos with exaggerated features or spare parts, and an overarching sense of guilt and escape.
The protagonist also revisits his childhood, reflecting on his emotionally detached parents, his battle with tuberculosis, and the existential questions that arose from his suffering.

At times, the boundaries between reality and dreams blur entirely. The novel is grotesque yet dreamlike, phantasmagorical yet deeply human. It is divine, selfish, surreal, infested, levitational, and disturbingly real—all at once.
J. Krishnamurti believed that total awareness is essential for a free mind. As the author references him in several places, one wonders—was this his intention?
I also discovered two intriguing new words: holon and holarchy, terms coined by Arthur Koestler.
Mircea Cărtărescu spent seven years crafting this brilliant, lyrical novel—one that not only questions existence but also delves into human consciousness, the nature of dreams, and the essence of reality itself.
The unparalleled translation brings this world vividly to life, for which I am truly grateful.
Solenoid is an oneiric, labyrinthine novel brimming with symbolism. It is a book that must be experienced rather than simply described. Could it find a place on the International Booker Prize longlist for 2025? I really hope it does!