In a Strange Room

In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut is a novel in three parts, each following a different journey undertaken by the narrator, a South African man also named Damon. As Damon travels through Greece, India, and Africa, he meets strangers with whom he has varying relationships, serving as a follower, a lover, and a guardian. Though Damon means well, each adventure ends in disaster; ultimately, each journey will play a pivotal role in changing the narrator's life.

In the first part, “The Follower,” Damon, a young South African man, is traveling through Greece. He is by himself walking when he comes across Reiner, an older, long-haired German man. He and Reiner start talking and soon become friends. They decide to spend the next few days traveling together, enjoying each other's company. After parting ways and returning to their homes, they keep in touch.

Eventually, they decide to take another trip together, this one to Lesotho, a small landlocked country surrounded by South Africa. The country is small and known for being harsh and inhospitable, though deeply beautiful. Damon and Reiner undertake their trip together; almost immediately, it becomes a disaster. The combination of Reiner's bossy nature and Damon's inability to stand up to his companion wrecks the trip.



In the second section, “The Lover,” Damon is traveling alone again, this time through Zimbabwe. This time, Damon comes across a band of three European travelers, a man from France and twins from Switzerland, Alice and Jerome. The trio runs into Damon at dinner and as he checks into his hotel; finally, they decide to spend time together. After spending time together in the guesthouse, the trio invites Damon to join them in Tanzania. He agrees, though he feels hesitant to make a complicated new travel plan. He nearly misses the trip because of his procrastination.

Eventually, Damon admits to himself that he is following the trio around because he is incredibly attracted to Jerome, one of the Swiss twins. He keeps telling himself he won't follow them any further, but he is drawn in again and again by Jerome's beauty. Despite his strong crush, Damon is embarrassed, knowing he won't act on his crush. This doesn't stop him, however, from following the twins back to Switzerland. Ultimately, as predicted, nothing happens, and Damon is forced to reconcile his thwarted desire for Jerome.

In the final section of the book, “The Guardian,” Damon is tasked with traveling to India with a friend. He is meant to serve as her caretaker abroad – a manic depressive, she has been struggling with her mental health; she has been sent away to get some fresh air and take some time to gather herself. Again, Damon finds himself ill-suited for the task for which he has signed himself up. Though he is meant to protect his friend, almost immediately upon arriving, she overdoses on drugs, and Damon has to rush her to the hospital. What follows is a horrifying black comedy as Damon is forced to stand in one pharmacy line after another, trying to purchase the equipment and medication s necessary to save his friend's life.



Damon's friend survives, though, at one point, she is in critical condition. Despite her recovery, the trip continues to go horribly, until Damon finally returns home, battered and dejected once again.

Damon Galgut is the author of a number of books, including The Sinless Season, Small Circle of Beings, The Beautiful Screaming of Pigs, The Quarry, The Good Doctor, and The Impostor. Born in Pretoria in the 1960s, he now lives in Cape Town, South Africa. He has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, the Dublin/IMPAC Award, and twice shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writer's Prize. His most recent novel is Arctic Summer; he wrote and published his first book when he was seventeen years old.