Brunt Boggart: A Tapestry of Tales by David GreygooseMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is an exceptional book, a truly original and startling 'tapestry of stories' set in three distinct sections. Greygoose's prose is unique, with more than a passing nod to Dylan Thomas' 'Under Milk Wood', with lavish use of self fashioned adjectives. All manner of strange and wonderful characters clutter the twilit pages, glimmering in the dark world of Brunt Boggart.
Strange and clandestine folkloric rites are practised in the fields, odd characters slip and scuttle between chapter and page. Greychild, who was abandoned in the woods and believed to be a wolf, semi feral and scavenging the local cottages for food, is a central character. The book deals with the concept of the mythic journey, self discovery, industrialisation, and enlightenment.
Reoccuring symbols include poppies, eggs and five pointed stars.
The reason this didn't merit 5 stars was the sheer size - at nearly 400 pages this is lengthy, and at times I felt it could have been edited down slightly. the sheer scope and range works against the book at times, as it becomes meandering and often feels a little directionless. Ultimately I think these stories should be viewed as surreal dreamscapes, wonderful dream snippets and glimpses into a quasi medieval past. There is a vague story thread connecting them, but it isn't essential to the enjoyment of the individual tales - as the book itself proclaims, it is a taspestry, heavy woven with rich spangling threads, and embellished with wondrous gee gaws and trinkets.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment