I scoffed Magnus Mill's book in one shuddering gulp. The dead-pan, drought-dry prose stuck in my throat and made me want to throw the book across the room whilst simultaneously devouring it. Plodding, literal sentences build one on the other, and slowly slowly the creeping dread invades the reader's mind and body. Horrifyingly ordinary, hypnotically plain, subtle and electric. The voice that calls "Look behind you!" in the cinema is constantly on one's lips, viz "For god's sake, Unnamed Narrator, get out of there!". Top marks.As recommended by Colonel Colonel. Well done, that man.
6 comments:
I'm glad you liked it- I am a big fan of this writer, although his later novels tend to be a bit less magical, or perhaps a bit more magical, which may be the problem.
I highly recommend "The Restraint of Beasts", which was his first. I'm re-reading Orient Express at the moment and yes, you keep wanting to yell "Get the Hell out of there, man!!!"
Hmmmm. I'm not sure I could take such a book. Based on your description, I'd probably throw it across the room. Try to ignore it for three minutes, then grab it up again. And then repeat the whole scenario until either the book disintegrated or my arm got tired.
"The Restraint of Beasts" is one of the best books I have ever read. The first reading is engrossing, the second is horrifying, and the third reading is so hilariously funny that you will snort your breakfast through your nose. READ IT!
I definitely will be reading Restraint of Beasts. I'm just cleansing my palate with Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones, though it contains horrors of its own.
Your review made me want to read it. I got it this afternoon and just finished it. I caught myself saying out loud "Dude, get the hell outta there!".
I'm defintely reading Restraint of Beasts.
Did not love this, though it has its merits. Random suggestion to anyone who posted a favorable comment - try Cosmos or Ferdydurke, both by Witold Gombrowicz. Lots of similarities, but (always) more importantly, lots of differences too.
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