Jon Taylor > Recent Status Updates

Powerful description of the prince’s experience of an execution. Clearly this is a preoccupation of Dostoevsky as this is the 2nd time he has done this. His observations about the heightened senses before execution are remarkable and modern - as is his thoughts on the painting he describes to Agayla. I wonder if this is foreshadowing for the prince?

The Cleansing ceremony. Reminiscent of the sewing ritual in Jim Crace’s Harvest - a much better book. Something’s wrong with Deborah…

Complex interrelationships. Each character appears to have ulterior motives. The narrative leaves the reader to interpret situations - such as the ‘affair’ between Trotski and Nastasia which I missed on first reading. Nastasia is particularly complex. Also, the Prince made me think of Sellers in Being There.

Deborah is attacked. Don’t get all the sexual stuff with Deborah at the beginning of the novel - seems nothing but titillation at this point. The first person stuff is poor - don’t know why Klein does it, it’s laboured. The narrative voice makes Carol even more stupid. But looking forward to the huge beast arriving soon…

Unrest amongst the Brethren. Earth tremors. Badwa thwarted. God knows how ‘Rosie’ is going to explain why he’s lying naked on a bed in a filthy apartment…

Better pacing here. Like the swarm of snakes, like a Biblical plague, and the trance of the Old One. Also good rising tension around Friers’ presence with the Brethren. Definitely bubbling up to something.

There are some unpleasant thoughts expressed (particularly by Carol) regarding race. Is this meant to reflect her innocence? Hard to like her, as she is written as weak, pathetic and malleable. The dances are ridiculous. And now there’s a killer cat. Will finish, but this is bollocks.

Disco horror.

The cat is possessed - I liked the night visit with the flash of lightning. Also like all the references to old folk horror tales like Algernon Blackwood - going to give them a go.

Carol is pathetic. Klein has not done enough to convince us that she would trust the old man sufficiently to accept his guidance all the time - why would she wear the dress and, worse, change her underwear for him? Why would she go on a rollercoaster? Is it supposed to be some kind of hypnotic power he has over her? Cat’s cool though.

Honestly, this is nothing more than an American Folk Horror potboiler. The graphic sex is embarrassing. The Old One is laughable. No one is at all likeable, least of all Jeremy. But it is building some momentum and at least has its roots in some genuinely interesting arcana such as Machen’s ‘The White People’.

Second night in Zurich. That bit was great! Sexual tension over the dinner table, weird religious and arcane sects interlinking and waking u naked on the roof, shouting at the moon. All in a Saturday night…

Read on first night in Zurich. Sarr’s experiences of the city. Quite atmospheric and the old man was chilling.

Carol arrives. Nicely built, through intertwined narratives.

Thoughts on Book 2: Slow pacing so it doesn’t feel that we’re too much further on from Book 1. But I shouldn’t complain - at least Klein is taking his time with the story, in a world where everything is rushed or boiled down to essentials. The only character I actually like is Sarr. Jeremy seems a little smug and patronising and Carol is just weak.

Very much a book of the 80s in prose style. The cadence is of its time as are the narrative voices - Stephen King has a lot to answer for. The depiction of women is also of its time. But I enjoyed the insects besieging Jeremy. And the moment the mask slips on the Old One with the child. I made myself picture that and it chilled me.

… He comes across as a servant to a higher power rather than an ancient evil. Similarly, the character’s voice is unconvincing - the very proper tones are pantomime villain so the threat to Florence (is that her name?) feels minimal.

Just some notes on the ending of Book 1. The Old One is a very prosaic character. I’m not sure he works. He seems very limited in power - I would have preferred something more Lovecraftian, beyond our understanding. Maybe it would have worked better if this ancient power had been able to manipulate others to his will, in a Dracula / Renfield type scenario?…

Much weirdness. Mum has a portent, Sarr sees a sacrifice and Jeremy is followed by a troll. Interesting.

Things falling into place. The cripple.

Enjoyed the planting ceremony. But this does need editing. There’s a lot of extraneous description of characters thoughts and backstories that I’m not convinced are that important.

Bit more cliche. The death of poor Donna somewhat ridiculous. The ‘Old One’s’ machinations lack gravitas. But still, it’s fun…

Wicker Man and Arthur Machen references here. Carol and Jeremy meet, at the old man’s design.

Carol - more slightly ponderous back story. Could have used some editing this. But some hints of a Rosemary’s Baby style intrigue…

Deeper into the culture and characters. Like the balance of the third person omniscient narrative - old style. Deborah is a cliche but enticing enough.

Slow, slightly ponderous prose. American - 80s but I like the rural religious setting and the connections with paganism.

The Renegade: Woman as outsider - alone, surrounded by bizarre cruelty and the only one to see it. Even the dog is part of the brutality she doesn’t understand. First, I thought the dog was the titular renegade. Then I thought it was the woman…

The Witch: Shit! That gave me some cause for alarm… I think the old man was the witch - and I think he was telling the truth… interesting, toying with gender there. Nicely creepy.