Tragic flaws

Midway through Scarlett Thomas's novel Our Tragic Universe, the main character lists the problems with her novel-in-progress: "It is boring; it has no focus; it is self-indulgent; I hate the central character; it's too depressing; no one wants anything; no one does anything; there are no questions to be resolved; there is too much narration." Tragically, this same list could apply to Our Tragic Universe.

Soon after this passage, the main character (whose name I've already forgotten even though I just finished the novel yesterday) actually starts wanting and doing, but by then I don't care. She is an annoying character in an unbelievable relationship with an impossible person in a novel full of characters who can't basic conversations without launching into earnest speeches about any number of arcane topics vaguely related to the plot of the novel.

Plot? What plot? Annoying woman asks the universe for wonderful things which the universe then helpfully provides, enabling her to finally break free of the unbelievable relationship with the impossible person while making a lot of rambling speeches about arcane topics.

Thomas's earlier novel, The End of Mr. Y, also features impossible relationships and characters who make speeches instead of conversing, but The End of Mr. Y is more entertaining than Our Tragic Universe and comes equipped with a plot that creates some real suspense, while Our Tragic Universe is less compelling. It is boring. It has no focus. It is self-indulgent. How helpful of the author to have included in the novel this handy list of its faults!