![—David Vann, author of <em>Aquarium</em>](https://sohopress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/blog-00.png)
Join is that rare thing, an appealing novel that’s both literary and commercial. Set in a dystopian world full of dazzle and invention, Join is a subtle exploration of what the self is and what death means. As we read about individuals joining into a unified consciousness, we have to wonder what our aspirations and fears truly are and what can be called us.