brought back to australia by the death of his father dante is sorting through his fathers belonging when he comes across a photograph of johnno a longtime friend the photograph stirs up a lifetime of memories for dante leading him to finally set johnnos storywhich has haunted him for yearson paper an outrageous character of legendary proportions johnno is brought top life in all his complexity beginning with his days at brisbane grammar school when he and dante first become friends to the days they spend together in paris johnnos inexplicable rages and periodic transformations are recounted until we come to know himwithout ever quite understanding him daring impossible and unpredictable johnno is a fascinating character his shocking behavior awes some annoys others and provokes a good many more above all though he is thoroughly unforgettable