Wow! this is a What did I just read? Book for me!
I have been wanting to delve a bit more into horror and specifically folk horror. With August being women in translation month, I thought why not try this one out. It was my first novel by Tokarczuk, and I'm still on the fence about how I feel about it.
I LOVED the creepy cover.
Credit to Lauren Peters-Collaer as the designer. This cover embodies the novel so so well.
Trying not to give any spoilers- This is a story set in 1913, in the Silesian mountains in Europe. A young man is sent to rest and recoup from tuberculosis. He's staying in a Guesthouse for Men, and each evening the residents gather after a meal to drink and opine on various topics, religion, the government, women, and more. Everyone takes these conversations very seriously, but yet of course, they are nothing in the sense of the world. I was struck by the yearning of men to be important, or viewed as important Our main character is an observer and finds that many odd things are afoot in the town, and in the surrounding mountains. As he observes, he comes closer and closer to the truth of how things are and will be for this town, and could be- for himself. At the conclusion, our main character is entirely transformed.
This is billed as a recap of The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, but more feminist. which is possible, but there's a different feel to the novel. The entire novel itself feels like a slow burning fire, with a bit of mystery, gothic/folk horror and a side of "slice of life" moments.
I will say I personally found the slow build up to the "night of terror" to be a bit long and possibly tedious, but each phrase was carefully crafted towards that main event, and I could feel it moving forward, I just wanted, apparently to go forward with a bit more haste. Overall, recommend, beautiful writing in translation. Extremely thought provoking, and with a lot of points to ponder on.
First Published : 09/24/24 (US)
Pages: 320
Available as an Audio Book :YES
Trigger Warnings: death, drug use, blood, medical situations, violence, murder,mental health situations.
Not a full TW list, please read responsibly.
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