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The Delusions: The new novel from the award-winning author of Luckenbooth and Ootlin

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Brought to you by Penguin.

The outstanding new novel from the prize-winning author of The Panopticon, Luckenbooth and Ootlin


Edi is facing a disciplinary since her 'incident' at work. Forty-seven years in Admin processing the newly dead is not how she foresaw eternity.

In Arrivals, the newly dead must take the stages in first, extract delusion; second, answer HR's questionnaire truthfully. Yet who among them can truly face who they are? Who may never pass at all? As leaderboard numbers begin to rise at unprecedented rates, rumours begin to fly. Humans are about to become a banned race. The earth is going to be repossessed.

As chaos descends, Edi hopes this might finally be the moment she has waited for, so she might see her son again who she was forced to leave on Earth when she died. Edi wants to be the one waiting for him, even if HR protocols forbid it. Looking out at the millions of newly dead arriving, Edi has one question - what might any of us truly be willing to do for those we love at the doors of eternity?

Against a spectacular backdrop of stars, constellations and comets, a mass extinction event begins to unfurl watched by the entire universe as Processing, the largest soul terminus in existence, decides it is now time to take matters wholly back into its own hands. With reflections on love, defiance and light, The Delusions is a story of profound human connection, on an unprecedented scale.

'Brilliant, original, daring, a 1984 for the afterlife' Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting

'Wholly wondrous ... I'm improved for having read it' Niall Griffiths, author of Broken Ghosts

© Jenni Fagan 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

Audible Audio

Published March 19, 2026

43 people are currently reading
830 people want to read

About the author

Jenni Fagan

30 books708 followers
Jenni Fagan has published four fiction novels, one non-fiction memoir, seven books of poetry and had scripts produced for stage and screen. She has three degrees, concluding as Dr. Of Philosophy, specialising in structuralism.

Jenni is an award winning, critically acclaimed poet and novelist. She is published in eight languages. A Granta Best of Young British Novelist (once-in-a-decade-accolade), Scottish Novelist of the Year (2016), Pushchart nominated, on lists for BBC International Short Story Prize, Impac Dublin, The Sunday Times Short Story Award, Encore, among others. The New York Times called her The Patron Saint of Literary Street Urchins.

Fagan is also an artist who exhibits canvas and sculptures, her bone artworks are on permanent display at Summerhall, where she kintsugi’d the building with poems in gold.

Jenni has written articles for the Independent, NY Times, Marie Claire. She has held Writer in Residence positions at the University of Edinburgh, Robert Louise Stevenson Fellowship and Gavin Wallace.

She has worked extensively with women in prison, and those from deprived backgrounds.

She is currently adapting The Blade Artist by Irvine Welsh for tv, also The Panopticon, Luckenbooth and Hex.

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5 stars
24 (23%)
4 stars
41 (39%)
3 stars
26 (25%)
2 stars
6 (5%)
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7 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for faye✨.
39 reviews
April 7, 2026
Fagan’s book was marketed as a 1984 for the afterlife, which is why I picked it up. These books draw me in, and I anticipated being taken through a journey of revelations. Unfortunately, I found only temporary enlightenment, scattered with strong moments of frustration and confusion. I so deeply wanted to connect with this book. Though for me, it missed the mark in some areas.

To draw on its strengths, The Delusions has a fascinating plot line and relatable, grounded characters who really hold their own. The characterisation and the afterlife conception is vivid and comes to mind with an ease that feels intuitive l, grounding some of the more ambitious, woven elements of the book in something tangible.

Edi, as the primary protagonist, holds a deep sense of humanity within her. The way she is conveyed, whether in speech, feeling, thought or experience, is profound and deeply relatable. The ranting nature of her character was one of the highlights of the book for me — it’s what gripped me back into the novel when the sense of direction was lacking. The supporting characters are equally compelling, and their interactions together feel like a little slice of humanity transplanted into the afterlife, which truly sets the scene.

Edi’s personal narrative — her grief for the son she left behind when she died, and her quiet daily search for him in the queues — provides the novel’s emotional backbone, and it’s this thread that gives the book its most genuinely moving moments.

Alongside this, the key concept of delusion itself is well and clearly metaphorically outlined. The idea of delusion needing to be physically pushed out into an eel-like substance that has its own bite really sends a powerful message about how self-deception keeps us complicit — both in our individual lives and as a human race. The central point that we must face our own choices whilst living, and that no external absolution will spare us from that reckoning, is a moving and genuinely enlightening takeaway.

Equally, the conceptualisation of the afterlife as part of a wider universal order is the best conception of the afterlife I’ve encountered in fiction. It holds space for all ideas of what comes next to coexist, whilst firmly asserting that no god, no belief system, and no delusion will save you from having to face yourself. That felt quietly radical.

Despite these incredible strengths, the narrative as a whole lacked clarity in how its ideas connect. Fagan is ultimately making two arguments that never quite find each other. The delusion thesis. that humanity’s complicity in damaging systems stems from wilful self-deception, is compelling and well-established through the Processing setup. But running parallel is a cosmic extinction subplot, in which the universe decides to repossess Earth and banish humanity entirely, that feels structurally disconnected rather than thematically inevitable. The link between individual delusion and planetary reckoning is implied but never made explicit enough to satisfy. You sense the point Fagan is reaching for, that collective delusion is what led humanity here, but, the novel never builds the connective tissue to make that feel earned rather than assumed.

Then there is the ending, which quietly undermines both threads. After hundreds of pages arguing that confronting delusion is the price of passage, the novel’s climax abandons that framework entirely in favour of a sentimental pivot toward universal love and connection. It’s emotionally accessible, but thematically it renders the book’s central argument moot. Nobody passes through. The delusion framework is set aside. And what we’re left with feels less like a resolution and more like Fagan losing faith in her own thesis just when it needed to land.

The comparison to Nineteen Eighty-Four ultimately reveals the novel’s central limitation. Where Orwell constructed a precise ideological scaffold, a system you could see, touch and fear, Fagan opts for sustained, impassioned fury that circles the same targets without building toward a clear climax. That fury is understandable and often righteous. But it isn’t the same as argument, and by the final pages, the distinction matters.

The Delusions is a novel of real ambition, vivid imagination, and genuine tenderness. Fagan is a singular talent, and there is much here to admire. But for a book that asks humanity to finally face itself, it stops just short of doing the same. 3.5 stars 🌟.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
961 reviews8 followers
April 1, 2026
The Delusions by Jenni Fagan - Very Good

Wow! You never know what to expect next from Jenni Fagan, but she never disappoints. I just don't know how to start to describe or do this book justice.

Edi is dead. Every day she works in Arrivals processing her queue of the newly departed. She's not alone, it's like a celestial airport check in, rows and rows of desks with queues of people awaiting their turn. Some folk specialise, Eustace gets all the gang members. Not quite what you might think, yes Gang Members, but also those groups like Governments or Business Cartels. Regardless, you take your turn, when you reach the front of the queue you have to admit your failings and let go of your delusions, only once you are free of these can you pass through....we never quite find out where to. Those that fail are dissolved on the spot and end up with all the other Trapped Souls underneath their feet below the glass floor. Some are just so evil they go straight to the Theatre of Cruelty where they live all the crimes they committed and then all the pain they caused others by these actions.

But today is different, the figures of the newly departed, on the leader board, are racking up, spinning so fast you can hardly read them. The queues are growing exponentially? Is this it? Has mankind finally reached extinction point?

We experience each day of processing through Edi's eyes and I have to admit it sometimes gets a little repetitive, maybe because that's what it is, day in day out going through the motions with a never ending queue. Not sure, but that's my only real criticism. Anyway, Edi has a reason for doing this job rather than passing through. She died young, her son was still a child, she does this job in the hope that one day she will be there to greet him and be reunited, because that isn't a given on the 'other side'.

The targets here are just what you want them to be: greed, politics, billionaires, the media, the digital world, the way we are so careless with our beautiful planet. The author rails against it all.

A book that will stay in my memory for a long time.

#review
Profile Image for Selena.
227 reviews10 followers
April 20, 2026
Edi is 47 years dead. She has spent that time in the Afterlife as an Admin, with the endless, thankless task of processing the newly-dead, in scenes reminiscent of the worst airport passport control queues. There are perks - the views of the universe from her usual bar are stellar, of course - but the frustrations of dealing with the newly-dead, Admin technology, paperwork and the mysterious, bureaucratic HR, threaten to tip her over the edge. And Edi is angry, about how she died, about leaving loved ones behind and about how Earth’s population is wasting what they've got. She is saved from oblivion by two things: her Admin colleagues and friends, and the vague hope of seeing her son. But things are kicking off, something’s happening: the queues are suddenly getting a whole lot bigger.

I loved Fagan’s Hex - a small but incredibly powerful read. She manages to mix the fantastical with the mundane and does it again here. The Delusions reminded me a little bit of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - with Edi the equivalent of Arthur Dent, guiding the reader through a scenario she never asked for or expected to be in, although she’s less subtle than Arthur Dent in her rage about humanity’s failings. Much of Edi’s knowledge of what’s going on comes from the people she processes - she gets a sense of what’s going on on Earth by who comes through her queue and their stories. As a result, we don’t have the obvious story where she sees her son grow up without her - she has no idea what he looks like or what’s happened to him in the 47 years since she died and can only cling to the hope that she will see him arrive. Her memories of him and her sense of loss are so heartfelt, as is her anger. I also liked Edi’s camaraderie with her afterlife friends and Fagan’s vision of life after death. It all goes a bit bonkers towards the end, and I wasn’t always sure where it was going, but otherwise, I enjoyed this: fun, mad, with plenty to say.
14 reviews
April 20, 2026
beautiful ending, and easy to read (read it in 3 days). liked the philosophical touches - however it could've had a bit more depth. the only other complaint I'd make is that the main character is a little too preachy about the state of the world. overall very enjoyable and, as I say, fab ending.
Profile Image for Rachel Halpin.
10 reviews
April 24, 2026
Started off interesting enough but just seemed to drag out getting to the point and I was getting bored , so I finally had to throw in the towel
Profile Image for fur.
18 reviews
March 25, 2026
The general idea is good. It was interesting to see, how the story of the main character and the circumstances are unfolding.
Seen from this point, it's nice to read.
The author tried to show the ambivalence of good behavior in parts but in other parts it is plain simple black/white.
The general background of the setting lacks explanations. While this might be intentional, there is too much left vague in my opinion.
It's also not consistent, when the actual timeline is around 2025 (calculated from some years given in the story added that the main character already "lived" 47 years in the "afterlive") and memories include a smartphone ...
But if you put those things aside it is a nice read.
Profile Image for J.A. Ironside.
Author 60 books360 followers
April 13, 2026
3.5 stars. Ambitious, beautifully written and full of real characters. But at times repetitive, frustrating and confused. Maybe that was the point? It was about purgatory after all. High concept, low plot.
1 review
April 13, 2026
Overall I really liked this book, I listened to it which added something because of the accent and the cadence. The mini rants hit harder when you are hearing them rather than ready them as a block of text.

Things I loved

- The main character. She feels fleshed out and you get a good sense of her motivations, why she feels and acts the way she does. In some ways she is very human, so no falling into the trap of a perfect narrator. She swears brilliantly, she has her own opinions which are often harsh and not totally accurate. She does a good job of making you care about her.

- The world of the afterlife. The descriptions of the surrounding areas, where they visit and the otherworldly space has a sort of, unending, ethereal feeling to it which works with the context nicely.
- You do pick up a sense of wonder from the story and the narrator. Usually when talking about animals, the natural world or children. It comes through as a sort of counterbalance to all the negatives, which are numerous and occasionally a bit repetitive.
- You get to play virtual I-SPY with the references to people or characters who resemble people in the news today etc.

Things that were so nearly great but missed the mark

- The ending. I don’t think it was a bad ending, but it felt sort of tacked on. As though we had reached this point in the story and the author went “ahh I actually have to have something happen now”. It felt like trying to shoehorn something conclusive onto a story about impermanence and shifting times. I think it could have worked better if it had more build up so it didn’t come out of nowhere, and if it was posed to the main character as an imperfect choice. As a “ you have seen all the bad stuff humans are capable of, would YOU give them another chance?”

- The sentimentality is all one note. Its all about a child. Fair, this is a good place to put all of that feelings but after a while it does feel repetitive. I found myself wanting more about the world, space and the cosmos, all the particles and mysteries and instead I am being told more baby stories. Yep, got it, you love you kid, can we get to the escapism and interesting stuff please.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tamsin.
179 reviews1 follower
April 3, 2026
A book of two halves. The first half was exposition in the form of ranting, much of it justified, but very transparent in its message and bludgeoning the reader with it. The setting, which could have been remarkable and creative, was just mundane admin.

The second half picked up though and made better use of its intergalactic setting, building a sense of wonder and existential peril. While it didn't quite reach its potential and remained on quite a basic level of complexity in discussing issues of humanity and its relationship with Earth, it was in some way satisfying in its conclusion.

For UK readers: the cat cover is mostly to draw in cat lover suckers like me. There are cats in it, but they don't play a major role.
4 reviews1 follower
April 18, 2026
Weirdest book that I have ever read that somehow kept me hooked and created more questions than answers the further I read. It was messy with partial narratives
And contradictions.

It’s a dark look at what happens when humans are forced to confront the truth about themselves and how messy and unreliable that truth is. Maybe a reflection of how we judge others without full picture . Weird
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Samantha.
387 reviews4 followers
April 19, 2026
Calling it a day at around 80%. I wanted to love this! :(
Read and loved most of Fagan's other work but this was not for me. A strange concept that could have worked but nothing happened and I didn't care about enough any of the characters. Would have been nice as a short story I think, less repetition and making the point quicker, as there were some clever and funny moments.
165 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2026
An interesting but challenging read

This book deals with issues of love, accountability and the after life.
Reviewing it without giving the story away.
The book will make you think about big issues. It will also make you laugh and cry in places
103 reviews
April 5, 2026
Interesting concept and started well.
By chance read in the build up to Easter.
Got very repetitive without new concepts or information and probably could have been half as long.
Profile Image for Ewan.
358 reviews2 followers
April 11, 2026
Honestly, I could have done with more plot. But it definitely made me think more than many books, and if I hadn't been reading in the pub I might have shed a tear at the end
Profile Image for Maura Heaphy Dutton.
781 reviews16 followers
April 18, 2026
Set my teeth on edge -- Ms. Fagan doesn't seem to believe in paragraphs longer than one sentence.

Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews