Flesh by David Szalay [Paperback]

Flesh follows the life of István, a shy Hungarian teenager whose early experiences with love, desire, and social isolation set him on a dramatic journey from a modest upbringing in Hungary to the wealthy elite circles of London. As he pursues intimacy, status, money, and belonging, his choices and circumstances gradually reshape his identity. The novel explores how chance, ambition, desire, and human vulnerability can elevate a person to extraordinary success while simultaneously sowing the seeds of self-destruction.