David Szalay's Flesh tells the story of István, who has grown up in poverty in Hungary. Because of his difficult upbringing during the 1980s, he has never felt totally secure emotionally or economically. Historically, he has made decisions based on raw instinct, rather than experience or profound thought. He does what feels right -- not what is right given everything.
The story opens with 15-year-old István and his mother moving to a new state-subsidized housing estate in Hungary. Shy and alienated because of his circumstances, he is drawn into a clandestine sexual relationship with a married, older (forty-two-year-old) neighbor. Throughout the book, István describes the relationship as inappropriate and like grooming. Nevertheless, after spending a fair amount of time together, the woman's husband and István come to blows. As a result of the confrontation, István, who grievously injured the man, is sent to juvenile detention, where he spends a considerable amount of time.
Sensing that he had no path forward, István enlists in the Hungarian Army. After training, he is sent to serve a tour in the Iraq War. Although much of his time in the Army isn't covered in detail in the novel, the effects of his service are shown in detail. Once a small, meek man, he returns from Iraq physically hardened but more emotionally detached than ever. Disillusioned with his previous life, he immigrates to London to start a new life for himself and find happiness.
As a result of his previous experience -- and emotional makeup -- István joins the world of private security. First, he works as a club bouncer, but ultimately finds himself working for super rich families as a chauffeur and as a member of their security team. His life is far removed from his work-class, impoverished roots in Hungary.
He begins to work with the Nyman family, consisting of Helen, Karl, and their children. When he starts another clandestine affair, this time with Karl's wife Helen, his life begins a dramatic upward turn. This time, however, their affair isn't discovered, and Karl dies. István and Helen quickly marry, and István becomes ultra-successful in the high-flying world of business.
Despite all of this success, István starts to clash with his stepson, who finds his new stepfather "coarse" and "boorish." Despite all of the material success he has now grown accustomed to, István is fundamentally still the same man, who is unable to articulate himself or process the trauma of the past. He is still an alienated, unhappy man.
