Grim reading: Will Self surveys the literary landscape and collapses in a slough of despond
Self's surpassing hauteur and in-your-face grandiosity have a propulsive charm in themselves
A Blog About Books and Reading
A Blog About Books and Reading
Self's surpassing hauteur and in-your-face grandiosity have a propulsive charm in themselves
Le Guin had her pulse on the present and was able to anticipate where the human species was likely headed given its current trajectory.
The narrative highlights the danger ordinary citizens faced while attempting even routine business during wartime.
If Welty begins her tale as a moody Gothic throwback, by the conclusion she has injected a large dollop of ridiculousness.
Level was closely associated with Paris's notorious Théâtre du Grand-Guignol.
Throughout the story, lies and deception are common factors uniting the various characters.
The true effects of grief cannot be diminished with platitudes, they must be respected and honoured.
Braithwaite's plot is tightly calibrated and it's not until the final third of the story that the crime even materializes.
One of the pervasive themes running through the story is the conflict between order and chaos.
Gordimer refuses to level judgment herself in the story.