おぞましい二人

by Edward Gorey, エドワード・ゴーリー, Motoyuki Shibata (Translator)

1965年に明るみに出た「ムーアズ殺人事件」。イギリスで二人の男女が4年にわたり5人の子供を残虐に殺して荒野(ムーア)に埋めていた事実が明らかとなった。「もう何年も本の中で子供たちを殺してきた」と自ら言うエドワード・ゴーリーが、この現実に起きた悲惨な事件によって心底動揺させられ、描いたのが本書である。

Genres: Fiction, Art, Humor, Graphic Novels, Comics, Horror, Gothic

68 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 1999

About the author

Born in Chicago, Gorey came from a colourful family; his parents, Helen Dunham Garvey and Edward Lee Gorey, divorced in 1936 when he was 11, then remarried in 1952 when he was 27. One of his step-mothers was Corinna Mura, a cabaret singer who had a brief role in the classic film Casablanca. His father was briefly a journalist. Gorey's maternal great-grandmother, Helen St. John Garvey, was a popular 19th century greeting card writer/artist, from whom he claimed to have inherited his talents. He attended a variety of local grade schools and then the Francis W. Parker School. He spent 1944–1946 in the Army at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and then attended Harvard University from 1946 to 1950, where he studied French and roomed with future poet Frank O'Hara.

Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is really dark. I found a great 2 minute illustrated youtube video about Gorey making this and it is based on true crime, so this bit of horror really happened. Apparently, Gorey did write this for kids and it’s dark. I would not read this to a kid as it’s disturbing and not really funny at all.

We see the history of this boy and girl and their unfortunate beginning to when they met and clicked together. They began murdering children together. They got caught and died in an asylum. I feel like Gorey didn’t have any dark humor in this one and it wasn’t as much fun. Plus, knowing this is based on fact makes it more disturbing.

Still, his artwork is amazing and it sets this cold and distanced tone.

Reader beware with this one.

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

We follow two awful children who grow up and fall in love. Eventually they realize their life’s work is to murder children! They both die in jail. Victorian-era of course. Beautiful artwork as always.

[Rodrigo Tello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy bueno. Los dibujos no terminaron de convencerme pero los relatos tienen un toque tenebroso y perverso, único.

[Gafas y Ojeras · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tremenda curiosidad la que supone leer un libro como este en el que el gusto por lo siniestro llena cada una de sus historias. Aunque tiene cierta trampa, pues lo que nos encontramos entre sus paginas no es más que una sucesión de ilustraciones preciosas, si es que sabemos apreciar lo bello entre lo macabro, acompañando a unos textos sencillos que están llenos de un fino y cruel humor negro.
El autor aprovecha cada una de estas doce historias para reivindicar la belleza de lo grotesco, el gusto por lo oscuro y el amor por todo aquello que aglutina rechazo. Eso convierte cada uno de estas pequeñas historias en una invitación al lector a escarbar entre los escondrijos oscuros de su mente para romper todos las ataduras de lo políticamente correcto y liberar esa parte bestia que todos escondemos.
Desde una pareja que encuentran su mayor punto de compatibilidad en el secuestro de niños para saciar un hambre perversa a un célebre abecedario de muertes infantiles, pasando por la preciosa historia de una niña desdichada que decide acabar con su vida, unos dios insecto que exige ciertos sacrificios o una pequeña cuya desgracia le acompaña allá donde vaya. Ese tipo de historias nada complacientes en donde la desgracia acampa a sus anchas.
En cuanto a los dibujos que ilustran cada una de estas historias cabe decir que se ajustan a la perfección a lo que quiere transmitir el autor, pudiendo disfrutar de ellos de manera independiente al texto y deleitarse con esos pequeños detalles que nos muestran la maldad que empapa este libro.
Una pequeña curiosidad que se disfruta a cada pagina y que nos invita a explorar nuestra parte más oscura.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edward Gorey's THE LOATHSOME COUPLE is one of his usual stories consisting of pen-and-ink drawings and amusing captions. The thirty-one pages of the book tell the story of Harold Snodleigh and Mona Gritch, two thoroughly repugnant people who fall in love and discover that their "life's work" is murdering children. While set in the unspecified Victorian or Edwardian era common to most of Gorey's oeuvre, the book is heavily inspired by the Moors Murders that rocked 1960s England. In spite of its subject matter, or rather because of Gorey's treatment of it, this is an exceedingly funny book. Gorey was a master of macabre, grim, droll humour, and THE LOATHSOME COUPLE is his finest achievement in this vein.

Because Gorey's books are so concise, one cannot say much about the plot without giving it all away, I can only give effusive praise. While all of Edward Gorey's books are immediately entertaining, this one rewards repeat reading. The elegant symmetry of its storytelling, the wit of its text--all of which are in the most perfect harmony with their accompanying drawings--the use of internal allusion, all of these make THE LOATHSOME COUPLE my favourite of all of Gorey's works. Along with THE BLUE ASPIC (a similarly macabre story) and THE OTHER STATUE (Gorey at his most idiosyncratic), this is one book I would recommend to anyone curious about the work of this widely-acclaimed but perpetually underappreciated literary figure and artist.

[ke-sha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...O_O...Um...

[Radwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"loathsome couple" is a bit of an understatement, no? I mean, good riddance?

[Robert Jaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

As it reads inside the front end flap: "This book may well prove to be its author's most unpleasant ever."

That is certainly true. This is one of the only Edward Gorey books that I would give a less than favorable review and it stands out as one of his few unsuccessful works.

The distastefull aspect of the book's subject matter and Gorey's overt descriptions are atypical from many of his other works which are often veiled in their descriptions, unlikely in their situations, or at the very least, you can still find a chuckle (sick as it may be) with Gorey's peculiar brand of extremely black humor and satire.

As always, page to page, his drawings are wonderful, but the storyline is grim and not overly clever, even if it is an homage to any actual historical case or incidents - this is not up to the usual high standards for which Gorey has been known.

At least 98% of Edward Gorey's work is fantastic, but unlike many Gorey fans (and I am a huge one) who feel they need to give an automatic 5 stars to every work by Gorey - this one deserves 2 or 3 at best for the drawings and ok...the part about licking spots on the walls of the institution.

[Ernie · Rating 2 out of 5]

like a fool i spent $30 on this book. the Moors Murders are a side obsession of mine and i was excited to see how he'd deal with them, but he doesn't. he denies, deflects, buries (pun), and fails to evoke. Gorey's art is based on allusions, but here he evades. points for discretion but why pen the thing if there's not going to be any visual or verbal borderline grisliness. the cover is by far the best drawing.

[scintillapink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first Edward Gorey story I have read and I must say, I wasn't expecting it. I was hoping for creepy, but this came out morbid. In the best ways. I absolutely loved it. The story was exquisetely illustrated and led me to wanting to read more.

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are not appropriate words to explain this book. You just need to experience it. And then listen to your friends reactions as they read it and pace hurriedly through the book making loud exclamations.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Edward Gorey's artwork and books. Most have a touch of the macabre but none (that I know of) quite like The Loathsome Couple. When he titled this book, he wasn't kidding! I really would have enjoyed meeting the man who's mind created such wild yet demure things.

[Ariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, I think, is an exercise in a "better you than me" mentality, as well as a story about horrible people and what they're capable of. It makes me wonder if their punishments were appropriate, though. If they were found insane, why did they still have to spend life in prison?

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aptly titled. True Gorey.

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

this could be the best Gorey I've read and I really like Gorey. Its dark, disturbing and morbid. Totally worth reading.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about as creepy, dark, and disturbing as you can get.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrifying and loathsome. But a good Gorey story.

[laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit too matter of fact.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Loathsome Couple by Edward Gorey (Dodd, Mead & Co. 1977) (Fiction) (4031).

While reading recently about Charles Addams (creator of the macabre and twisted Addams Family), I wandered into a dark corner of the world of literary fiction and discovered Edward Gorey quietly awaiting notice.

Edward Gorey is hard to characterize; the words dark, twisted, macabre, and bizarre spring to mind. “A brilliant minimalist author and illustrator” would be my suggestion.

The Loathsome Couple is a short tale told in Victorian style through a series of pen-and-ink drawings about a pair of misfit children who grow up and discover in each other a special talent: the lust for child murder. When their crimes are accidentally discovered, they are separated by the authorities and forced into an asylum where they eventually die.

“Bleak” and “dark” don’t begin to adequately describe the work of Edward Gorey. How in the world did Gorey turn such twisted matter into such an entertaining little book? I don’t know, but I know I liked it.

My rating: 7/10, finished 3/9/25 (4031).

[Peter Siegel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to work on 46th St and often went to Gotham Bookstore during my lunch brake.
I already had a nice collection of Gorey books- Gotham was one of his biggest distributors and
always had piles of them sitting by the register. I had not seen "The Loathsome Couple" before so
picked up a copy to look at it. When I read the first few pages and was the couple met at a lecture on "The Evils of the Duodecimal System" I was hooked. A man behind the counter told me that most people didn't care for the book and I might want to choose another. I told him I collected Gorey books and would take it. He took it out of my hand- crossed out the author's name on the title page and wrote something above it. I was a bit surprised but the owner of the shop laughed and said- don't worry- that is the author Ted Gorey- and we all laughed. I walked out with a signed first edition! It was not until years latter that I realized that it was based on a true crime which made it much more creepy.

[Demeter · Rating 1 out of 5]

An absolutely revolting and sick book. Gorey always struck me as an artist with a disturbing attitude to children. Why anyone would want to recreate the murders of children I can’t imagine. What this book’s effect on their families was I dread to think. He ought to have had some respect. I’m all for pushing boundaries and not having censorship, but making art based on crimes against kids is nasty.

[Donny Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literalmente una locura.
Sobre esta edición: buen prólogo con datos y curiosidades sobre la vida del autor, nada más preciso.
De los relatos en sí, destacar el trato de lo tenebroso, lo perverso y lo absurdo como moneda corriente, llegas al final sorprendido pero sintiéndote bien (?)
Interesante juego de anagramas con el propio nombre además.

[LucianTaylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Las mejores en mi opinion de Gorey. Me encanta particularmente The Tuning Fork, The Insect God y The Hapless Child. Me hubiera encantado que en vez de Pious Infant hubieran seleccionado para esta colección The Utter Zoo, The Object Lesson o The Iron Tonic. Hubiera quedado perfecto. Pero igual lo califico como un excelente "Best Hits" de Gorey. Es perfecto para alguien que quiere explorar Gorey sin querer recurrir a leer su obra en la tetralogía de Amphigorey.

[Emmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two sociopaths find love in this chilling, and somewhat uncomfortable story. While I did not particularly enjoy reading it, I will say that I was impressed with Gorey's ability to quickly craft well-written and fleshed out characters in just a few short pages.

[Canavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

✭✭✭½

[Michelle Lasalvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encanta la mezcla de lo macabro y el humor en sus relatos e ilustraciones.

[Inés Belmonte Amorós · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un minuto de silencio para el Bebé Bestial.

[jamie]

Eepie carpetrod💔I could be a good mother….

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

As advertised, really unpleasant. For me, not enjoyable. But brief and well drawn.

[Sandy Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

“At times they said they had done it all. Other times they denied it”