Carlo Reinhart, now forty-four, faces a mid-life crisis defined by familial alienation and the sudden, suspicious reappearance of a successful acquaintance. Reinhart navigates a domestic sphere where his wife and son express open hostility while his daughter remains his sole ally. His objective is to regain a sense of equilibrium, but his efforts are thwarted by the arrival of Bob Sweet, a man whose motives regarding cryonics and human experimentation remain opaque. The narrative maintains a focus on Reinhart's internal state and his interactions with these figures, utilizing a third-person perspective to observe the absurdity of his circumstances.

Readers and critics often note the biting, satirical tone that characterizes Berger's prose throughout the trilogy. Discussion frequently centers on the protagonist's passivity and the dark humor employed to highlight the mundane horrors of his existence. Many observers highlight the author's ability to balance character-driven psychological depth with a narrative that leans into the surreal. The pacing is described as deliberate, allowing the reader to fully inhabit the protagonist's growing sense of unease as the plot moves toward its conclusion. The work is frequently cited for its cynical look at the American dream and the fragility of the human condition.