Nicholas is a teenager who experiences the usual teen angst and experiences as well as experiences such as panic attacks, being Pan himself, and having Ty and Sarah in his life, with whom he shares his Panness.

I enjoyed the wit, the underlying themes and references, and Nicholas' descriptions of his panic (the lists were cool).
I liked the final 40 or so pages more than the previous parts because the humour and the themes started to work better in my opinion.

I totally see this being a classic amongst teens themselves.

As for me, no matter how much I appreciated the concept, the characterisation and the themes (also, the premise), this book did not fully meet my expectations, which were high. I am looking forward to Clune's next work. He is certainly onto something.

There is some truly beautiful language here. Poetic and moving and plain weird! But it feels more like a long poem rather than a novel. Not enough plot for me

Nicholas, a fifteen-year-old living in the Chicago suburbs, struggles with a sense of disconnection from both his family and his peers. After a panic attack in geometry class, he’s diagnosed with anxiety, but he suspects that his issues might not be entirely psychiatric. What if the Greek god Pan is trapped inside him, influencing his thoughts and emotions? As Nicholas grapples with this possibility, he embarks on a journey to understand the nature of his inner turmoil, searching for meaning in art, music, and literature. Alongside his friends, he questions the expectations of his suburban life and looks for ways to break free from his mental constraints.

In Pan, Clune delves deep into the complexities of the human mind, exploring the boundary between mental illness and the divine. The novel presents an unsettling mix of adolescence and philosophy, where the edges of consciousness blur, and the protagonist’s quest for meaning leads him into a psychological and metaphysical maelstrom. Themes of self-discovery, identity, and existential crisis are explored in a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is surreal. Even the mundane moments of life, like attending math class or visiting a hardware store, become charged with existential significance.

Pan is an absolutely mind-bending exploration of the human psyche. Michael Clune’s writing is electric and immersive, drawing you deep into Nicholas's world as he struggles with his identity, mental health, and the very nature of existence. The way Clune intertwines philosophy with adolescence is brilliant, making the book feel both cerebral and emotionally raw. For anyone who has ever questioned their own thoughts or felt disconnected from the world around them, this book will resonate deeply. It’s a fascinating, metaphysical journey that challenges you to rethink the boundaries of reality and mental illness. I found myself both bewildered and captivated, and in many ways, the book gave me a glimpse into the chaotic beauty of navigating the mind.

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