Like Nabokov's Lolita, this book draws deliberately uneasy comedy from moral ambiguity. Arno Strine can pause time yet move freely while all around him is frozen. He uses this "gift" to peek beneath clothing and explore other obsessive thoughts about women. It's very rude in places.
Told with wit and great intelligence, the novel both charms and disturbs. Baker isn't afraid to offend, and doesn't try to "justify" the ethical minefield of Arno Strine's actions, although he does explore the issues they raise. He is smart enough to let readers make up their own minds and urges them to consider how they would behave if they had the same ability to stop time.
A hugely thought-provoking novel, but possibly an acquired taste.
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