Horrific Sufferings of the Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot: An Atmospheric Gothic Romance of Unwavering Love and Devotion

by Carl-Johan Vallgren

Horrific Sufferings of the Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot is the picaresque fable of the love that grows between the mute, telepathic human monstrosity Hercules and the beautiful Henriette—a love that will entwine their fates forever. Author Carl-Johan Vallgren creates an unforgettable cast of grotesqueries in a magical and atmospheric tour of nineteenth-century Europe—from the bordello, where Hercules is born, to the squalor of the asylum, where he finds only pain, to the sinister grandeur of the Jesuit monasteries in which he finds both shelter and peril, to the phantasmagoria of the freak show with which he travels. A moving, uplifting, at times dark and macabre tale of social oppression, official corruption, religious persecution, and unwavering devotion, it is a story that enchants and surprises . . . and leaves one wide-eyed with wonder, like a small child at his first carnival.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Swedish Literature, Romance, Sweden

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

He is the author of eight novels, of which The Horrific Sufferings of the Mind-reading Monster Hercules Barefoot is the first novel to be translated into English. His novels have been translated into twenty-five languages. He lives in Stockholm.

Reviews

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitap bitti ama ben de bittim. Nefretine ortak oldum karekterin, şekilci dünyaya onun için sövdüm. Ne var yani; cüce, kolsuz, sırtı tamamen kıllı, yeşilimsi ve ur içinde, kemikleri her an bedenini yırtacak kadar şekilsiz, yılan dilli, sağır ve düşünceleri okuyup sizi ölüme dahi sürüklüyorsa? Nedir yani bu body shame merakı, hayır yanlış anlamayın da siz de çok matah değilsiniz. Sonuçta orta çağa benzer bir zaman, sen ne kadar cool olabilirsin yani? Bir kendinin farkına var önce.
Kitap bir genelevde aynı anda doğan bir ucube ve güzeller güzeli bir kızın hayatı. Ucube üzerinden ilerliyor. Tımarhane, sirk, lüks konaklarda geçen bir hayatın temel amacı, sevdiği kızı bulmak. İnsanların düşüncelerini okuyup iletişim kurabiliyor, bilinç ve altlarında sevdiği kızı arıyor. Ama bir o kadar da saf benim bebeğim, valla bak. Delirtmeyin insanı aklınızı alırım diyor en sonunda. Yani sizde hayatının amacını elinen aldınız adamın, ne için, neymiş şeytanmış. Allah adına aldığınız canlar sizin yakanızı bırakmaz ben size söyliyeyim. Bir bölüm var ki aman allahım didim, nasıl bir intikam susamışlığı, her sayfada helal olsun sana dedim. Baya bende nefret ettim çünkü onunla.
Çevirinin şaheserliği de inanılmaz, hemen çevirmeni olduğu diğer kitaplardan da listeme ekledim. Koku, Notre Dame'ın Kamburu, Güzel ve Çirkin evlenmiş ve çocuk yapmış gibi bir kitap. Ama daha karanlık, daha kanlı, daha heyecanlı.

[Kristina Dauksiene]

Gal man kas nors pasakys kur aš pabuvojau????
Groteskiška? Provokuojanti? Nuobodi? Keista pasaka?
*******************************************
Can someone tell me where I was placed?
Grotesque? Provocative? Boring? A strange tale?

[Pete · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, I really wanted to like this book, it seemed that it would be intersting, and it almost was. It had the elements of a short story and it dragged because it was made into a novel. The characters were hollow accept for the "Hero" Barefoot, but even then... The story telling was disjointed and confusing, I often had to double back in a chapter to see if I skipped a major event that was being discussed or I needed explanaiton that was skipped over. The non-sequesntial stroy telling can be done well, this was not. I don't know why I have even ranked this book with two stars, except to say that there is some exceptionally beautiful sections in this book, the words and the way they are written is stunning. The book starts very well, the first two chapters I was eager to see where this was going, but when I got there I realized that I just didn't care.


Maybe I am just an idiot, but this was a good idea woefully short on a good execution.

[Morana Mazor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oduševljena! Bizarno, drugačije,a odlično... Neka vas naslov ne zavara, nije riječ o ljubavnom romanu.. Engleska inačica naslova puno bolje približava radnju "Horrific Sufferings of the Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot: His Wonderful Love and His Terrible Hatred". Čitajte!

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ο Άγγελος και το Τέρας είναι ένα σκοτεινό παραμύθι για ενήλικες με αναφορές σε ιστορικά γεγονότα που μπλέκονται με τη μυθοπλασία! Είναι μια ιστορία για την απόλυτη αγάπη αλλά για τα βάσανα που προκαλεί η διαφορετικότητα και που μπορεί να σε εξωθήσει η κακία κάποιων που πολεμούν αυτό που είσαι γιατί δεν το κατανοούν! 4.5 αστεράκια μόνο επειδή θα ήθελα μεγαλύτερη σαφήνεια ως προς κάποια πρόσωπα και γεγονότα! Ξέρω ότι είναι εξαντλημένο αλλά αν πέσει στα χέρια σας μην προσπεράσετε την ευκαιρία να το διαβάσετε!

The Horrific Sufferings of the Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot : His Wonderful Love and His Terrible Hatred is a kind of dark and twisty fairytale for adults with references to historical events that are intertwined with fiction! It is a story about absolute love but also about the suffering caused by diversity and where a person can be driven by people who want to destroy you because of how different you are from what they consider normal! 4.5 stars just because I would have liked more details and information about some characters and what became of them!

[Leylak Dalı · Rating 5 out of 5]

19. yüzyılın başında bir genelevde doğan, üstün güçlere sahip hilkat garibesi Herkül ile aynı genelevde aynı saatte doğan güzeller güzeli Henriette'nin maceraları, aşkları, düşmanları, dostları, engizisyon, tımarhaneler, sirkler ve daha neler neler...
Katman katman bir öykü sizi bekliyor, mutlaka okuyunuz

[Bahar · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Her insan, ilk insanın yalnızca yarısı... Aşk kayıp yarının aranmasıdır ve onunla sonsuza kadar kaynaşma çabasıdır.”

[Lauma Gurgone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grāmata man atgādināja nežēlīgo Viktora Igo traģismu, kurš man tā patīk. Lai arī šī ir mūsdienu autora grāmata, liekas, ka sarakstīta pāris gadsimtus senāk, gan valodas, gan notikumu dēļ. Cilvēkus saindē citi cilvēki un atriebība ne vienmēr ir salda.

[Leajk · Rating 1 out of 5]

För att vara rättvis mot boken har jag delat upp recensionen i två delar, det positiva och det negativa.

Det positiva med den här boken:

- titeln

Fantastisk så klart (innan man läst boken), det var framförallt den som övertalade mig att läsa boken

- den korta historien i början om en koloni av döva

En idyllisk bild av ett samhälle, intressant bild av dövhet

- delar av beskrivningen av Vatikanens hemliga bibliotek

Förmodligen mest eftersom delar av mig älskar en konspirationsteori

Det negativa:

- historien

Sträcker sig över tid och rum att kännas intelligent eller spännande. Den 'fule' Hercule Barfuss och den 'vackra' Henrietta Vogel föds på samma bordell som varandras övertydliga motsatser. Eftersom hon endast är där för hjältens skull är hon rakt igenom god och störs aldrig av Hercules groteska yttre utan älskar honom utan en tanke på annat. Henriette rövas bort av en ond sadist och Hercule jagar henne över hela Europa eftersom han i princip är definitionen av besatt kärlek. Under jakten är det naturligtvis förfärligt synd om Hercule eftersom alla hatar honom för hans yttre.

- språket

Vill vara bombastiskt och romantiskt men säger egentligen aldrig något av värde. Jag blir frustrerad gång på gång för jag ville verkligen att en bok med en sådan fantastisk titel skulle betyda något.

- karaktärerna

Som nämndes innan är de tecknade med samma finess som en turist-karikatyr. Man kan för all del ha ytliga symboliska karaktärer och komma undan med det (som Dickens), men då måste något annat väga upp för det, en bra historia, ett fantastiskt språk, osv. Både Hercule och Henriette är platta att jag känner att de är två klippdockor som författaren leker med för att visa att kärleken är FANTASTISK och överkommer allt.

Slutsats:
Min gissning är att Vallgren inför den här boken förläste sig på Den unge Werthers lidande och Skönheten och odjuret.

[Pinar Celebi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olayların 19. yüzyıl Avrupasında geçmesi, o dönemin sosyal, ekonomik ve dini ortamını çeşit çeşit perspektiften betimlesi sanırım bu kitabın en sevdiğim özelliğiydi. Ana karakterimiz Herkül de en özel kitap karakterlerinden biri olarak zihnimde kendine güzelce yer açtı. Herkül'ün hayatının her evresinde dolaşmak, onun iç sesine ortak olmak, onun yaşadığı acıları, çektiği özlemi, Henriette'in ölümü sonrası içinde hızla biriken nefreti ve çektiği çeşit çeşit sıkıntıyı ona yaşatanlar için biriken intikam duygusunu okura aktarmada yazarımız olağanüstü başarılıydı bence.

Bu yazarın daha önce Denizadamı isimli kitabını okumuştum. O kitap da bambaşka bir konuda, temada, iç acıtan ama zihnime kazınan bir roman olmuştu. Bu kitap da öyle oldu. Kitabı sevenlere Denizadamı'nı da öneririm.

Son olarak 84. sayfadan bir alıntı bırakayım: "Herkül dünyanın her yanında, kötülüğün kaynağı olan aynı karanlık maddeden yapılmış bu tür insanların olduğunu biliyordu. Onu asıl şaşırtan insan neslinin nasıl olup da hâlâ yok olmadığı, insanların birbirlerini nasıl olup da çok öneden tüketmedikleriydi." Ah Herkül inan ben de aynı şaşkınlık içerisindeyim, hem de uzun süredir...

[şenay izne ayrıldı · Rating 4 out of 5]

orta çağ avrupası'nı veya rusyası'nı tarih kitaplarından değil de romanlardan okumak daha keyifli geliyor bana. işin içinde grotesk varlıklarla gerçeküstücülüğe göz kırpıyorsa tadından yenmiyor. bu kitap bir de üstüne görece yakın tarihe uzanıyor, vatikan'ın çürümüşlüğüne dokunuyor ve sağır-dilsiz dünyasının hiç bilmediğimiz önemli bilim insanlarının, sanatçılarının adını anıyor.
bir de sonlara doğru kahramanın aşkının intikamını alacağı yerde atmosfer deliriyor, duygular şelale, orada bir aydınlanma yaşaması muazzam anlatılmıştı. okunası.
hamiş : isveççe aslındaki adıyla biraz oynanmış, ama ingilizce adı orjinal adını katletmiş resmen.

[Sinem A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

film gibi kitap! ötekileştirmek ve içselleştirmek karşıtlığı ekseninde 1800 ler Avrupası fonunda eğlenceli bilgi tazeleyici bir aşk ve intikam romanı

[Maritina Mela · Rating 2 out of 5]

The year is 1813 and on a stormy night, two babies are born to two prostitues in a brothel. The one is a perfectly formed girl and the other is a deformed boy whose mother dies immediatly after he comes into this world.

The boy is deaf, mute, has no arms, ears or nose, his tongue is split like a snake's, he has a hunchback that is full of hair and is only around one metre tall. But he has the gift of telepathy, is very smart and despite his deafness, he can also play the piano. Residents of the brothel he was born and raised in often found themselves hearing him inside their heads. Despite his grotesque appearance tho, the workers of the brothel love him.

From the moment he is born, his soul is entwined with the soul of the girl he was born the same day as. Him and Henriette are inseparable and when they are forced apart, he is determined to find her again.

He embarks on many journeys, becomes the protege of a cleric who is later accused as a heretic, joins a caraval of other deformed people and after many years, he finds Henriette.

But she is now married to a nobleman, thus meaning they cannot live as a couple yet. Despite that however, they begin an affair under everyone's noses and Henriette falls pregnant. After the child, a healthy baby girl, is born, Hercules and Henriette make plans to leave together and run away to America.
This dream ends tragically tho, when Henriette is murdered the last night before they live.

From then on, Hercules embarks on a journey of vengeance, attempting to kill everyone who wronged him.

This is another example of me expecting to love a book and being proven wrong...

What I noticed right off the bat, was the similarities this book has to Perfume: The Story of a Murderer both in style and in regards to the main character (main hero with a supernatural gift, born into poverty, tries to find his place in the world, complicated relationship with mankind etc.)

I actually didn't like Perfume: The Story of a Murderer but I hoped this would pull off that style in a way more amusing to me. And at the beginning, it almost did. I think the parts with Hercules' childhood were the strongest in the book.

From then on, the story took a deep dive for the worst. Unfortunatelly, the style of writing made the whole thing quite boring. It didn't feel as if I was reading a 288 page book, but a much larger one instead.

Also the huge time jumps, made the plot feel, as another reviewer mentioned, disjointed and left many questions unanswered, let alone not leaving enough time to bond with the characters.

Because the characters felt one dimentional and even Hercules felt like a minor character in his own story. His powers are not really explored 'til the last moment, when he decides to avenge Henriette.

Because up until then, his powers only served as a mean of communication. He could have used his telepathy to prevent his wet nurse from getting maimed, or Henriette from being killed, but no.
After that, he suddenly knows how to use them in their full capacity, as if he was taken in and tutored by X-Men. (that's the 2nd review in a row where I drop in a little X-Men reference. Wanna stop me? You can't!) He goes as far as manipulating people's minds and drives them into brutally murdering others and killing themselves. It is also suggested that he drives a whole family mad by warging into the body of a cat, which, in my opinion, sounds totally dumb.

As for the side characters, there were moments where I could see them being important to the story. Like for example, the caraval with other deformed people that Hercules joins at some point.
They were described as smart and I expected to see some form of bond shaping, plus, I thought they were gonna teach the main character how to use his powers to his advantage. But instead, we see them perform with Hercules once and the only thing they manage to teach him is that he should wear a mask to hide his deformities. And then they disband, for some reason that I can't tell, because it was left unmentioned.

As for the romance, I expected it to be a big part of the plot. Which wasn't really the case. I wouldn't mind it so much if I could see the love blossoming, because "Loving someone for the sake of love itself." doesn't do it for me. Henriette serves only as the ideal of love and beauty, a reason for Hercules to better himself, and never emerges as her own character. I cannot even tell you with certainty why she was killed. I suspect the assassins mistook her for Hercules while she was sleeping? Plus, her death isn't even confirmed until like three chapters later.

Also, as mentioned before, after Henriette's death, Hercules begins to seek those who did him wrong and brutally murders them. The first couple of people that he kills, I cannot even remember why he did that for. But when the time comes to kill his lover's killer, her spirit appears to him, convinces him that "It isn't those people who took everything from him that have made his life a living hell, but hatred itself."

He sees the error of his ways, decides not to kill that last person and changes his life completely. He now has find happiness, because he knows that there is life after death, and since he is now truly happy, humans finally accept him as one of their own, even though many people had try to kill him before. He ends his days as an old man in Martha's Vineyard, where he studied in a school for deaf people, surrounded by a big family.

See kids, if you accept and forgive people who have actively done you harm and love yourself, people will accept and love you as well. Even tho they wanted to see you dead, just a couple of years ago!
I'm sorry, did this turn into a coming of age story without me noticing it?
Also, why is it so important to have him studying in a school for deaf people and spending the last pages on how he developed his own sign language, by using his feet? He doesn't even need it. He's a telepath, remember?

These are pretty much my complains with this book, that seemed promising, but ended up being a boring, drawn out story, with boring characters and vague mumbo-jumbo philosophy.

If you made it this far, congratulations!
'Til next time, take care :) :) :)

[iva° · Rating 3 out of 5]

tečna i čitka, pomalo baca na "parfem - povijest jednog ubojice", ima paralela i s hugoovim quasimodom, a nekim elementima podsjeća i na ecovu "u ime ruže". imamo, dakle, jedno monstruozno biće, rođeno strahovito deformirano, nakazno, groteskno, gluho i nijemo, ali sa sposobnostima čitanja misli, dislokacije i transformacije, tu je i velika ljubavna priča koja završava loše (smrću voljene), imamo i stav crkve prema "drugačijem", a pred kraj knjige i nešto egzorcizma, imamo razgranati uvid u život gluhih, njihov način komunikacije i znakovni jezik, imamo jedan cirkuski freak show i pregršt ubojstva i samoubojstava... i tako, sve u svemu - jedan čušpajz.
na momente nježna i ljubavna, a na momente strahovito brutalna i degutantna, ni sama nisam bila sigurna kuda to vodi i što je autor htio postići. malo mi ostavilo nered u glavi.

[Başak · Rating 5 out of 5]

bu kitap göğsümün silahsız roma'sı.


okumaya başlamadan önce katmanlı, masalsı bir okuma olacağını tahmin ediyordum. genelevde doğmuş olan bir hilkat garibesi baş karakterimiz. başından geçen olaylar ve onunla aynı zamanda doğmuş olan güzel henriette'ye duyduğu aşk diyebiliriz genel konusu için. sağır ve dilsiz olan, insanların aklını özel gücü sayesinde okuyabilen ve onları yönlendirebilen, yaşattığı kötülükler için intikam alan herkül. sert ve karanlık, şölen tadında bir garip aşk öyküsü. kitap bana the shape of water filmini anımsattı. onu da severek tavsiye ederim.



not: kitapların filmleri, şarkıları anımsatmasını çok seviyorum ya. ya da tam tersi. tamamen farklılar mesela ama aklıma düşüverince ne güzeldi filan diyorum.

[Karenina (Nina Ruthström) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jag har läst den här boken som en del av #augustprisprojektet, som också Kicki och Mösstanten deltar i, vilket innebär att läsa alla Augustprisade böcker i kategorin skönlitteratur. Det är totalt 32 stycken. De 23 jag läst hittills har hållit en otrolig hög kvalitét.

Dock är Den vidunderliga kärlekens historia (2002) den första som jag inte älskat. Genren kärleksroman, som utspelar sig på 1800-talet, med hög abstraktionsgrad, enormt ordrik med långa adjektivspäckade meningar och dess råhet faller mig inte i smaken.

En slags mix av Skönheten och odjuret, Dvärgen och Frankensteins monster är det. Jag får känslan av att ha läst det här förut. Och kan inte låta bli att fundera på hur en berättelse om en missbildad ful kvinna som trånar efter en oerhört vacker man skulle te sig.

Den börjar dock väldigt starkt. Hercule Barefuss föds samma natt som Henriette Vogel, deras båda mammor var prostituerade. Hercule är missbildad, dövstum och han kan läsa tankar/förflytta sitt medvetande in i andra varelser. Han älskar den vackra Henriette, som naturligtvis är storslagen och välskapt helt igenom. De kommer ifrån varandra och Barefuss söker efter Henriette samtidigt som han utstår stor grymhet. Men historien som utlovas handla om kärlek tycks mest fokusera hämnd. Efter ungefär 100 sidor har jag tröttnat på brutaliteten och det bombastiska språket. Demoner, osynliga och enögda eggar mig föga. Karaktärerna är stumma och jag känner ingen längtan efter att få veta hur det slutar.

Inslagen av religion, vetenskap och filosofi uppskattar jag mest. De bibliska allusionerna är av godo. Barefuss kan möjligen liknas vid Jesus. En annan bra sak är att teckenspråket får ta plats. Men de absurda inslagen ökar tyvärr vartefter diegesen närmar sig sitt slut.

[Oğuz Kayra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burada hiçbir insanın üzerinden geçmemesi gereken ruhsal patikalar var.

[Frosty Dahlia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book on the original language (Swedish) and it really is one of the best books in Swedish literature for a very long time. It takes you through adventures both amazing and horrible and feelings of joy and despise. The reason it doesn't get five stars is that on occasion it gets somewhat pretentious but overall it is a great piece.

It really is a shame about the title. I just know how a title like this puts me off reading the book and I would never have read it unless two colleagues of mine recommended it. Therefore, please ignore the title and enjoy the great adventures of Hercule. You will not regret it.

[Zeren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Etkileyici bir başlangıcı ve sonu olan bir romandı benim için. Ama ortalarındaki tekrardan hayli sıkıldım, hikayenin yönünü tahmin etmek de pek zor değildi. Sondaki sağır ve dilsizlerle ilgili verilen yaşamsal bilgiler kendi adıma romanın genelinden çok daha çarpıcıydı. Arka arkaya yaptığım çok iyi okumaların gazabına uğramış da olabilir.

[John Hatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly amazing book, horrifying at times, but a truly astonishing love story.

[Mina Widding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Började läsa den här en gång i min ungdom, men då var jag inte mottaglig för historiska, gotiska romaner, så goth jag ändå var, och jag la den ifrån mig. Först nu har jag fattat grejen, och uppskattar till fullo temat. Dessutom behövde jag verkligen en bok som gick helt in för att vara fiktion, det är en befrielse ibland, att slippa den moderna, realistiska litteraturen. Uppskattade den "magiska realismen" här, telepatin och att Vallgren tar ut svängarna i det fula och groteska (även om jag fått ett par bilder i huvudet jag hellre varit utan), och den kärlek som också omvälver allt, även om Henriette (liksom Henrietta i Slas roman) är en ganska platt karaktär som inte får så mycket utrymme i texten (klassiskt patriarkalt, what to do - man får använda sin fantasi och fylla ut konturerna).

[Amanda Landegren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

I really liked this book. I thought it was great and it is a Swedish novel I would certainly recommend to everyone!

The story follows our protagonist Hercule Barfuss. He is born a dwarf with a severely deformed body. He is deaf and cannot speak. However, he has been given the gift of being able to read other people's thoughts. An incredibly moving and at times horrendous story which follows Hercule's life over about 80 years.

What really makes this book stand out, at least to me, is the extensive imagery. The language is so full of pictures and metafors, similes and symbols and while that at many times really added to the story, it sometimes became a little too much. We as readers could loose ourself in the images and nearly miss what Vallgren wanted to say. -- With that said, the imagery is one of this book's great strengths. The intricacies of the writing style and the use different techniques definitely makes this book suitable for re-reading in the future.

Furthermore, the book discusses a range of interesting topics; religion, language, emotion, love, hate and so much more. However, one of the reasons to why I did not rate this book higher than 3.5 is partly due to the epilogue. As the last part, it is the feeling from that episode you bring with you after finishing the novel. Unfortunately I found the epilogue to be incredibly dry and in general just unnecessary. It left me feeling bored and just kind of meh.

With that said, as a whole, I think this book is really great. With a very strong imagery and interesting writing style Vallgren manages to really capture the reader's attention and tell a story about longing, love, hate and the cruelty of the human kind.

[Serap Duman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benim beklentimi karşılayan, ıyiki okudum dediklerimden..
"Her insan, ilk insanın yalnızca yarısı "diye yazmıştı Barfuss." Sevgililerin duygularının gücü yalnızca aşkın zevkleriyle açıklayamayız.Aşk, kayıp yarımın aranmasıdır ve onunla sonsuza kadar kaynaşma çabasıdır."

[tripswithbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bir garip öykü..
Sadece aşka değil insan olmaya dair de.
Birbirlerini toplumun normlarına aldırış etmeden, kalpten sevmiş iki insan. Hayatın değil, insanların acımasızlığının birlikte olmalarının önüne çıkardığı engeller.
Kötüye hizmet etmenin bahanesi olmaz, iyi olmak için sebep aranmaz. Ve sevgi her şeyin ilacıdır diyen bir hikaye. Çok katmanlı. Duygudan duyguya sürüklenecek, çok da düşüneceksiniz.
Normal ne?
Sevgi nasıl bir mucize?
Yazarla tanıştığım için mutluyum.
Herkül ile tanıştığıma da.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe more of a 2.5 stars. It was very easy to read but the premise sounded more interesting than it was. Didn't feel like the characters where "full" enough and some parts made me little uncomfortable. It was an okay read but not that great

[Ulla Jeppesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

På alle måder en fantastisk bog

[Mark Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrific Sufferings of the Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot: His Wonderful Love and His Terrible HatredNow you have finished wondering at the title we can, oh, you want a little more time with it, ok. The Horrific Sufferings of the Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot: His Wonderful Love and his Terrible Hatred. Ok can we continue.

This was my first Carl-Johan Vallgren and I have to admit it was the title and cover design that made me buy it a long time ago in a random book store, subsequently it was placed on a shelf and never touched again for a good five years or so. Until last week when finally it got to be a book and I picked it up and decided I would get it read.

It happened slowly, after many books recently for younger audiences I had settled into a large font and quick to finish pages but that is not what you get with Hercules Barefoot’s story. If you want a book to read in the moments before bed at the end of your day please do not pick this as I did because it will be a struggle. This is no comment on the story or writing as both are incredible.

We follow the life of Hercule Barfuss an incredibly deformed newborn in a brothel who somehow avoids being snuffed out before his first breath. He has a thick carpet of hair on his back, his arms resemble nothing more than twigs and his head is unusually large. His stature is that of a dwarf and his body is covered in a random smattering of hard black protrusions. By normal 1800s standards he should have been proclaimed spawn of satan and killed.

The book follows his life at different stages and I loved the way that we jumped along his personal timeline sometimes not quite knowing the amount time we had moved on. His life is rich with religion and historical rubbernecking but it never detracts from the core tale of Hercule Barfuss and his search for his true love Henriette Vogel. There is a time spent locked away in a monastery where the local town believe he is a miracle-worker, a trip to the vatican where he quickly discovers plans afoot to kill him. A brief stint helping a princess win card games and then after the most tragic event that could befall him. A good amount of bloody, painful, satisfying revenge.

Does this sound like your kind of book because I honestly believe everyone could find something they enjoyed through its pages and we haven’t even touched on Hercule’s ability to not only read minds but control them too.

4 out of 5 tortured monks

[Emily Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a page turner, for sure. I couldn't really quit once I'd gotten a chapter or two into it. It reminded me of another carnivalesque "freak" novel, Geek Love. But I liked this one a lot better than Geek Love. Despite the fact that this novel sometimes seems to be "a series of unfortunate events" it has an underlying optimism and love for its characters that keep it from getting too bleak. And it does get bleak, yes indeedy do. Dickensian bleak without the Dickensian filter shielding us from the truly bleak stuff. But there's love under it somehow. And mind reading. Which is fun. I really enjoyed the perspective switches and the detective work of piecing the story together that way.
The bad news? The frame of the story feels kind of lame. The opening and closing letters are a bit ponderous and feel tacked on and unessential. The ending feels lazy. It sort of amounts to "and this happened and then this happened and then this happened." This was because the love/hate story was essentially over. But then it wasn't. I either wanted the story to end where it ended or to be more fully fleshed out after. It feels more undone than too long, really so I vote for more fleshed out!
There seems to be a potential for another book written by the main character and I wondered if that book will come out in the future. However, I wanted that book IN this one. There's so much potential in this story that isn't realized. It feels sketched in when it could be painted. But the sketch is a really interesting sketch, so it's worth it even so.

[Katerina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ой, эта премилая скандинавская литература.

Пролог рассказывает читателю о языке глухих, об универсальности языка чувств, о верности и преданности; потом следует удивительная история двух детей, родившихся в один день, таких разных, но истово преданных друг другу, а потом сразу — ррраз! — отрезал грудь! жестко изнасиловал! призвал инквизицию!

В общем, "вокруг кричала толпа, валялись трупы животных и затоптанных людей", а Эркюль, значит, "услышал голос чистой, ничем не замутненной любви".

Нет, ну это прелесть что такое.

[Ida Netzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mästerligt skriven! Han skriver på ett lika beskrivande sätt och med text som flyter på som Anne Rice gör.
Kantor som spelar med tårna är inte så overkligt - kan Vallgren har sett och hört vår församlings kantor som ibland sitter och spelar i centrala Uppsala?