Review for Gastric Bypass by Paul Lesko
Gastric Bypass, by Paul Lesko, is a philosophical mystery that delves into the complexities of two men, both of whom wanted to remake society in their own image. But despite this, in the end, they barely began to understand that they themselves were only human.
The book begins with Nathaniel, a lawyer who represents prostitutes, frat boys, and other college kids with too much time on their hands. One day, his best friends, X and White, kidnap him and force him to help them take four pigs. The strange trio spray painted the pigs with specific numbers and gave them vials. Afterwards, they set the pigs free within a nuclear power plant, where their organization, Gastric Bypass, made its official debut. A group that focuses on bettering society by eliminating excess weight on its victims, what began as a somewhat humorous incident becomes a dark tale with decadence. As more and more innocents are brought into the fold, insanity slowly begins to erode any sense of loyalty the bothers had for one another, and through all of this, Nathaniel can only watch as the world around them burns.
The characters surrounding is intriguing. You have X and White, the odd brothers who became the masterminds of Gastric Bypass. Then you have Nathaniel, a man who wants nothing to do with the group, and the only reason why he represented them in court was because of bribery and past sentiments. Each character had their own set attitudes towards the current people they live in, and carried their own morals as to what should and shouldn’t be. There were lives that the three had inadvertently trampled upon, as well as people who were thankful their actions. The way these three interacted made for an interesting read at the least.
The themes in this book were also beautifully explored. Morality was, at best, a blurry grey. Despite the fact that the two brothers endeavored to make society a better place, they are still forcing their standards on other people, and this doesn’t even begin to cover the nonconsensual medical procedures that involve removing fingers or wiring jaws shut. The response that people leave to these actions are also sickening; whether it be the wale watchers for Gastric Bypass, or the lovely violence Nicorette imposes on a world that she sees had abandoned her, it really does seem like everyone’s insane. Perhaps the ramblings of a mad man was the only thing that made sense. It was enchanting and eerie all the same.
The book reminds me of a video game I enjoy watching, Amnesia: The Machine for Pigs. With Lesko’s characters, as well as their utter indifference to morality and normalcy, it was as if I was surrounded by the inhuman monsters hunting me in the dark. Alongside society’s salvation and condemnation, it was as if I was searching out for that machine, the one who created such grotesque pigs to begin with, pigs that lusted over judgement and the power to control other’s lives. Whether or not Gastric Bypass even did any good, I’ve absolutely no idea.
Overall, I would give this book a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, and would recommend it to those who love the Amnesia series and psychological thrillers.
