Is it possible to find the true center of your being without getting lost in the darkness of your own past?

Travesty is Mircea Cărtărescu’s "anabasis"—a twisted, hidden journey into the depths of the self. Described by the author as a case study of a hermaphroditic child and an exploration of dark adolescent sexuality, this novel represents an exercise in "suicidal sincerity." It marks the transition from the author's euphoric early works to the tormented songs of experience.

Acting as a portal to his magnum opus Blinding, the book is a psychological autopsy of the author's unhappiest period. It captures the visceral horror of being truly alone, forcing the reader to look into the mirror of identity and confront the strange, shifting reality that stares back.