The Illusion of Separateness

A lyrical literary novel exploring human connection and the unseen bonds between people.

The Illusion of Separateness is a deeply moving novel that intertwines the lives of disparate characters—each grappling with fear, loss, and isolation—across continents and decades. Inspired by true events during World War II, the book follows a deformed German infantryman, a lonely British film director, a young blind museum curator, two Jewish American newlyweds separated by war, and a caretaker at a retirement home for actors in Santa Monica. Through a series of seemingly random acts of mercy and selflessness, they discover that no life exists in isolation and that every human being is connected in an unseen chain of shared experiences and compassion.

“The uncanny beauty of Van Booy’s prose, and his ability to knife straight to the depths of a character’s heart, fill a reader with wonder.” — San Francisco Chronicle

“A spare, elliptical story of human connection, framed by the horror of World War II… a brilliant novel that shows how a single act can echo through time.” — Publishers Weekly