Short Synopsis
Set in Paris at an international high school catering to the sons and daughters of wealthy families, You Deserve Nothing is a gripping story of power, idealism, and morality.

Full Synopsis
William Silver is a talented and charismatic young teacher whose unconventional methods raise eyebrows among his colleagues and superiors. His students, however, are devoted to him. His teaching of Camus, Faulkner, Sartre, Keats, and other kindred souls breathes life into their sense of social justice and their capacities for philosophical and ethical thought. But unbeknownst to his adoring pupils, Silver proves incapable of living up to the ideals he encourages in others.

Emotionally scarred by failures in his personal life and driven to distraction by the City of Light's overpowering carnality and beauty, Silver succumbs to a temptation that will change the course of his life. His fall will render him a criminal in the eyes of some and all too human in the eyes of others.

In Maksik's stylish prose, Paris is sensual, dazzling, and dangerously seductive. It serves as a fitting backdrop for a dramatic tale about the tension between desire and action, and about the complex relationship that exists between our public and private selves.

"The trio that narrates this troubling novel of an illicit relationship and the fall of a hero works well together. " ---AudioFile

"Verner's intense reading makes us want to stand up and cheer.…All three narrators do exceptional jobs." ---Booklist Audio Review

"Both intelligent and intellectual, this is both a tribute to brilliant teachers and a cautionary tale of their imperfections." ---Kirkus Starred Review

"This is a thoughtful and sad story, ending with questions about the futures of everyone involved." ---Publishers Weekly

"Maksik's relentless engagement of ideas and literature and the depiction of his characters makes for one of the most engaged reads I've had in years." ---Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones

"A provocative, constantly surprising, and original novel written with precision and grace." ---Susanna Moore, author of In the Cut

Kirkus Review