This is a story of a man with multiple personality disorder. What makes it interesting, is that the personality dominantly portrayed in the book is from another planet and has vast insight into the human condition, as well as unexplainable and verifiable information on another world.
It isn’t clear whether this is a psychology book or science fiction. The reader is intentionally left hanging over the decision, as ever new data point clearly in one direction or the other.
I was drawn to this book after seeing the movie. Although I enjoyed the movie, it didn’t quite feel complete. The movie was fairly accurate to the book, but left out some details and the final chapter. The book explores several interactions with other patients of the psychiatric ward than the movie does, and provides a few new twists. It is worth reading even if you’re familiar with the movie.
*** Somewhat of a SPOILER follows ***
The book doesn’t give a clear answer to the questions raised – what is the truth of the patient? Is that a spoiler? I understand there is a sequel (or two even) which may provide clearer conclusions.