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"A darkly absurd tale of identity, regret, and rebirth." -- Publishers Weekly
What if everything that kept you stuck -- fear, regret, memory -- wasn't holding you back, but shaping the story you were meant to live?
René is stuck -- in a job that wears him down, in a life he never wanted, in a home that feels more like a waiting room than a place to live. Fear and regret have shaped his existence, leaving him paralyzed in the face of change. But when his estranged uncle delivers a letter from his recently deceased mother, everything shifts.
Inside the envelope lies a cryptic message about a hidden inheritance, a secret she took to her grave. At first, René approaches the matter reluctantly -- tentatively tracing the edges of a mystery he barely understands. But what should be a straightforward search slowly dissolves into something more elusive: a tangle of old wounds, surreal detours, and emotional blind spots he's spent a lifetime avoiding.
As reality blurs with dreams and his carefully laid plans unravel at every turn, René is forced to confront the one thing he's never been able to face: himself.
The Night of the Animals is a slow-burning, introspective novel that blends absurdist fiction, dark humor, and stream-of-consciousness narration. Through fragmented recollections, metaphor-laden moments, and the looping logic of the anxious mind, it examines what it means to change when action itself feels impossible. A quiet reckoning disguised as escapism, it offers an inner epic -- one where the real movement lies not in the events themselves, but in the consciousness they stir.
"The Night of the Animals is a fantastically unique tale that leans into massive anxiety, disillusionment, and the overwhelming weight of the past. Pascal's keen attention to the nuances of family and the psychological troubles of his characters makes them feel incredibly real. Very highly recommended."
-- Reader's Favorite
"Filled with irony, dark humor, and conflict. This is good escapist fare with an original and unpredictable ending."
-- Reader's Favorite
"A meditative literary novel centered on grief, fractured family dynamics, and existential inertia. It offers vivid language, a dark sense of humor, and detailed introspection through its protagonist, René. The writing shows great intelligence and ambition."
-- Booksprout Early Reviewer
"A compelling, melancholic and unforgettable journey"
-- Booksprout Early Reviewer
"The characters will rattle around in your brain."
-- Booksirens Early Reviewer
"Between the metaphorical depth that gave profound power to everyday moments and the dark humor that pulled me further in, Night of the Animals is written with a level of skill many writers won't attain."
-- Booksirens Early Reviewer
"This book feeds the soul. It's so different and original."
-- Hiddengemsbooks Early Reviewer
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