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I have a soft spot for the debut works of major writers. It’s so endearing to witness the writer struggle with all the things that every new writer does – the timelessness of the story, the individuality of language, and above all, to offer the reader a great reading experience.

John Williams published his first novel, , when he was only 26. He went on to write three more novels – Butcher’s Crossing (1960), Stoner (1965), and Augustus (1972). Stoner is his most well-known novel, while Nothing But the Night might actually be his weakest. Critics have often called Stoner a perfect novel, while Nothing But the Night is anything but. In fact, many reviews have criticised Williams for his baroque writing style and the aimlessness of the plot, and to boot, an annoyingly narcissistic protagonist. But to me, these are what make Nothing But the Night so eminently readable. The arc of the writer – from writing a mediocre novel to the perfect one – is here for the reader to witness. And what could be better than that?

Nothing But the Night follows 24-year-old Arthur Maxley around an unnamed city in the course of a single night. He has yet to go to university but is lavishly supported by his family – he spends most...