The House of Sleep

Summary

The novel "The House of Sleep" by Jonathan Coe tells the story of a group of people whose lives intertwine in an old building that once served as a student dormitory and later became a sleep disorder clinic. The narrative unfolds across two timelines: in the late 1980s, when the characters were students, and in the 1990s, when they return to the place for various reasons. The main characters include Sarah, who suffers from narcolepsy and struggles to distinguish dreams from reality; Robert, who is in love with Sarah and obsessed with winning her affection; and Gregory, a doctor who runs the clinic and conducts questionable experiments on patients. Through their stories, Coe explores themes of love, memory, sleep, and reality, creating a complex and emotionally rich tapestry of human relationships.