Mr. Distinctive

by Olga Tokarczuk

Genres: General Fiction

Synopsis

A gorgeously illustrated picture book for adults—with two gatefold pages inside—by Nobelist Olga Tokarczuk and illustrator Joanna Concejo, creators of The Lost Soul

A devastating putdown of our self-obsessed, superficial social media culture.

Mr. Distinctive has a memorable, attractive face. He only has to walk down the street, and everyone turns to smile at him. Once he starred in a TV commercial and was praised and congratulated for having a face that sold the product well. Mr. Distinctive is very pleased with himself and loves to take selfies with his cellphone. He posts countless images of himself that are shared all over the internet.

One day Mr. Distinctive looks in the mirror and sees that his features have begun to fade, his face has changed into a blur. With every new photo he posts, his distinctiveness dwindles. Determined to regain his flawlessly beautiful face and the adoration it brought him, Mr. Distinctive seeks out an extreme solution. But are the lengths he goes in order to restore his sense of being unique and exceptional worth it?

In their new story, the creators of The Lost Soul—Nobel prize in literature winner Olga Tokarczuk and illustrator Joanna Concejo—show us a world of obsession with personal appearance and self-promotion, where happiness is an imperative, and the cult of youth rules.

Release date: May 6, 2025

Publisher: Seven Stories Press

Print pages: 64