
The second novel from Costa First Novel Award shortlisted author Nikesh Shukla.
Kitab Balasubramanyam's life is falling apart around him. First he lost his girlfriend, then his job. The novel he put his all into didn't sell and he's not written anything beyond 140 characters for since. He's pushing away his widowed father, unable to listen to tales of his dad's online dating successes, and now his brother Aziz is leaving their shared flat to travel to America in search of his Facebook doppelganger.
Despite the relentless buzz of notifications on his phone, Kitab is alone. But when his only known namesake turns up in London from Bangalore, intent on being part of Kitab's life, at whatever cost, Kitab is forced to fight for the identity he thought he was so tired of.
Nikesh Shukla is a writer of fiction and television and host of the Subaltern podcast. His debut novel, Coconut Unlimited was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2010 and longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize 2011. Meatspace is his second novel.
'Meatspace is the greatest book on loneliness since The Catcher in the Rye.' GARY SHTEYNGART, author of Super Sad True Love Story
Like Douglas Coupland's Generation X, this novel captures a cultural moment. GUARDIAN
Meatspace is funny. Damn funny. You should really switch off your computer and read it. MATT HAIG, author of The Humans
An anarchic, self-involved and admirably honest portrait of a bookish life lived in the brave new digital world. NEW STATESMAN
Meatspace is, simply, one of the finest novels I have ever read about modern life and modern living. Douglas Coupland, Junot Diaz, Chuck Palahniuk and Jennifer Egan: stick them in a blender, and out comes this amazing new novel by one of the UK's most distinct voices. JAMES SMYTHE, author of The Explorer
Shukla writes with precision, humour and honesty, about the isolation that social media can bring. Meatspace is a novel with many laugh-out-loud moments, break-dancing to the arrhythmia of its existential heart. NIKITA LALWANI, author of Gifted
If the purpose of a novel is to make sense of how we live now, Nikesh Shukla's Meatspace fulfills that promise #ennuiisananalogueconstruct. NIVEN GOVINDEN, author of Black Bread White Beer
Meatspace is a weird and wonderful novel that brilliantly captures the soul-sickening fun of a life lived on social media. Read it then move to the woods and repent for your wasted youth. JENNY OFFILL, author of Dept. of Speculation
As a fellow writer/internet addict/human being, Meatspace really touched (and chilled) me. It's not just a brilliant story in itself but really a front-runner in terms of examining how our relationship with the internet is impacting our real lives KERRY HUDSON, author of Tony Hogan Bought Me an Ice-cream Float Before He Stole My Ma
'Meatspace is fun, funny, & moving when you least expect it ' EMYLIA HALL, author of The Book of Summers
Meatspace is a bloody good laugh. SUNDAY SPORT"