Camouflage is about a mind that is not working as well as it used to. It establishes itself in a place where nothing is quite as it seems. The story is narrated by a polite small black and white cat called Little Kit who we quickly establish does not actually exist. This imaginary cat can supposedly astral travel and so is able to visit places of interest and meet historical figures which help shape the narrative of the story. After we get to know a little bit about the landscape and the informal style the writer likes to use the central character is presented with a mystery that he feels he needs to address. The remainder of the story tells how the owner of the mind seeks to solve this mystery, but he lives in a world of confusion. This takes him on a journey of self discovery where he uses his love of mythology and knowledge of ancient civilizations to help him make sense of the complexities he faces. The little cat imagines a whole range of different people and situations as he searches for the information he needs to solve his puzzle. As nothing is quite what it seems he needs to ask a lot of questions in order to get the information he needs. Along the way he had an internal dialogue with his inner voice that both guides and infuriates him. The people he meets are mostly historical figures that have interested him in the past and he often feels he has been an ancient soul who has been hosted within them. The places he visits on his journey are usually sites where ancient civilizations have thrived and then spectacularly fallen. He tries to make sense of this, but that is an impossible task. Among the other people we meet in the story are the family members who become victims of the confusion the author has experienced in previous years. There is a trace of the detective genre in the progression of the book and there are some red herrings and false trails in the narrative, as you would expect from a tale in a place where nothing is what it seems. The general tone of the book is very light and sprightly, although it is actually dealing with enormously difficult health issues that have very little scope for levity. There are some philosophical questions asked as the book develops as the reader is encouraged to engage with the process of discovery. Because the story takes place in the unconscious mind of the author there is an immense scope for the imagination of the reader. There are some ongoing threads throughout the tale as it unfolds and we occasionally uncover some unexpected consequences of previously imagined actions. At the very end the author has a sudden realization of the problem that he has. At its surface level it is a fast paced and enjoyable romp. It does ask questions of the reader along the way. At a deeper level it is quite a 'user friendly' way of considering a serious health concern.
About the Author: Little Kit is a very polite small black and white cat who does not exist. Because he does not exist he has never worked in an aquarium or lived in Totnes in South-west England. Despite the potential handicap of non-existence he would love to travel and hopes to help achieve world peace at some point in the not-too-distant future.