The Escalator

by Andrew Budden

It’s amazing where you can roam at the foot of an escalator. William, free to think at the bottom of his, is about to embark on the shocking finale to his mysterious search.
There’s much else to ponder, too. There’s his love for the barbed Cas. And who’s the woman he meets every week claiming to be his daughter? There’s the past he pictures of flying, TV, spiritual and sporting glory. But how does the ordinary life he remembers at the steelworks sit with being confidant to Marlon Brando and Michael Jordan, Brookside scriptwriter and Concorde’s chief test pilot?
Can William resolve the conflicts of a brilliant, riotous mind to stop self-destruction? Are we all on the same track?

This literary novel confronts love and isolation, freedom and focus, reality and imagination with tragi-comic craftsmanship.

Genres: Fiction

260 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

I have worked in industry and have studied the eighteenth-century novel, among other subjects. I live in Devon in the UK. The Escalator is my first novel.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a circuitous walk through the wandering, tortured brain of William, who has lost his job and somehow found himself homeless. His delusions now rule his life. To see into his mind is unsettling, but informative for the reader. His wife is locked inside a different kind of emotional prison. Can be a bit difficult to read at times, but worth the effort.

My thanks to the author, Andrew Budden, for my copy of this book. #Goodreads Giveaway

[Crystal Tadlock · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 15% could NOT get into any part of this

[Debumere · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and I’ve tried to think how I would review this but I can’t find the right words. William experiences mental decline as he ages and talks of his jobs as a scriptwriter for Brookside, a Concorde pilot and being the Pope, yet even though we know it’s all in his head, it is almost believable. He is intelligent and knowledgeable about World affairs, he is sentimental and caring. We don’t know when he took to the streets, or how he managed that, but he seemed to be content in his own little bubble. Though there are chunks ‘missing’, you don’t notice. You’re in William’s head too.

[Sherry Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting and good book to read. It had me thinking how is this all going to come together at the end? Enjoyed reading this book.

[Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the opportunity to read your book in advance.

Thank you to the author Andrew Budden and Goodreads Giveaways.

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read. This book is well written, easy to read and very interesting. loved it

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

*won a free copy through Goodreads Giveaway

I'm going to have to give up... though usually my DNF are rated at 1s - I'm going to give it a 2.

This book feels more like a merry go round or those evil playground versions where you get spun right off than an escalator.
I get the vibe the author was trying to create but flipping between past and present and outside views was a bit much to keep up with and still have a connection to characters. I get that it is how our main is feeling in the current parts but it gets blurred into the other.
It feels a bit like when you get overwhelmed and think about all the stuff you need to do and you end up sitting there spaced out instead of focusing on one thing at a time.

[Trisa Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "The Escalator" by Andrew Budden, the tangled threads of a brilliant yet tormented mind are expertly woven into a compelling tapestry of love, loss, and the intricate dance between reality and illusion. This literary novel is a poignant exploration of the human condition, where the boundaries between truth and fantasy blur with tragi-comic finesse.

At the heart of the narrative is William, a character whose life has spiraled into chaos, leaving him homeless and engulfed by delusions. The novel's strength lies in its unflinching portrayal of William's mental turmoil. Budden skillfully guides readers through the labyrinthine corridors of William's mind, unveiling his thoughts, memories, and fantasies in a way that is both unsettling and enlightening.

The story grapples with profound themes such as love, isolation, and the fragility of the human psyche. As William's mental decline accelerates, his experiences as a Concorde pilot, a Pope, and a scriptwriter for a beloved television show blur the lines between fact and fiction. Through the distorted lens of his delusions, these fabricated memories become eerily plausible, highlighting the fragile nature of perception.

Amid the chaos of William's mind, his wife stands as a poignant counterpoint. Her humor and sarcasm become a lifeline for both the reader and William himself. Her emotional imprisonment, while different from his, paints a picture of human connection strained by the complexities of mental illness.

Budden's prose is a powerful instrument, guiding readers through William's fractured reality with a mix of compassion and raw honesty. The narrative captures the essence of the human experience, where freedom and focus, imagination and reality, collide in a symphony of emotions.

While "The Escalator" can be challenging to read at times due to its unflinching portrayal of mental decline and different timelines, the effort is unquestionably worth it. The book's ability to immerse readers in William's world, seamlessly blending their perspectives with his, is a testament to Budden's narrative prowess. The gaps in William's recollections only serve to deepen the sense of empathy and understanding, drawing readers into his labyrinthine thoughts.

The book reminded me of Ruan Kemp's 'Gedeeltelik bewolk'. (Translated to Partly cloudy)

"The Escalator" is a haunting and thought-provoking journey into the heart and mind of a man battling his mental decline. Andrew Budden's ability to craft a narrative that's simultaneously unsettling and enlightening is a testament to his literary skill. For those willing to engage with its complex themes and delve into the depths of human consciousness, this novel is a remarkable exploration of the blurred boundaries between reality and imagination.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc copy.

[Paul Olkowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not finish this book. I could not follow the timeline of the author for the main character or his family. I always read any book that I start to completion, but this is a first for me. I could not find whatever it takes to finish reading this book.
The way the author Andrew Budden formatted the storyline, was to me so odd that I was constantly confused as to where I was in the timeline of the main character. One paragraph he is the Pope and the next paragraph he is dead and being mourned by his wife as she sits on the beach and one page later he is sitting in McDonald's waiting for lunch. Is he dead or not?
I could not get into caring about the character at all regardless of the way it was formatted. I gave the book away to a relative.
2 stars for the Escalator.

[Christina Yorke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recieved this book via a Goodreads giveaway, in return for my honest opinion. This book is cerebral. It follows the frightening descent into dementia of William as he recalls the people and places of his life. He believes he was a Pope, a pilot for Concorde, a screenwriter and friend of Michael Jordan. His wife is a humourous, sarcastic woman who he is in love with.
I found the book difficult to get through. Cas, the wife, appears in bed looking at the sea throughout the book. I need to figure that out.
It's a book I would like to read in class and discuss with a learned prof. I don't hate it, but I feel as confused as William.

[Kim Gray · Rating 1 out of 5]

just could not get into the characters. William is an older man who clearly has dementia. Much of the story focuses on him. Lois his granddaughter also shows up in story but I don't feel like she is fleshed out well. Cas is his wife (?) who is worked out as a character even less. Just didn't like and felt like the ending was not an ending.

[Tanya Hansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF--I went to 32% read and I cannot make any sense of this book. I think that I should be able to follow it (I'm guessing the main character has some sort of mental health issue or dementia) but it is impossible to follow.

[Roxanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

The font size is so tiny that I did not attempt to read.

Why do publishers do this?

I won a copy on Goodreads.

[Susan Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!

[Mary-Ann Kourko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have liked more character development of William’s family members.

[Tanya Dreke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to read

I won a digital copy from Goodreads Giveaways. Not the greatest book I have read, but not the worst. Hard to read at times.