Sounds like another dark book. I may have to put this on my read later list after I take a break from the darkness of Crooked God Machine with some Terry Pratchett.
Have you heard the story of how Anthony Burgess started writing? At some point he fell ill and was given a year to live. He decided to write a few books so their sale could help support his family after he died. Then he recovered and didn't know what else to do, so he kept writing!
Yes, I know about his illness. Maybe it was fate that made him write this way.