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dulcimermaid's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
boy in darkness my GOAT
jeffhall's review
3.0
This volume is a mixed bag, with standouts being the title story and "The Weird Journey", both of which have a hypnotic, mystical power that make them worthwhile experiences for fans of the Gormenghast trilogy.
The rest of the stories in this collection are pretty forgettable, but the inclusion of copious artwork from the author throughout the volume adds considerable interest, so Peake fanatics won't be disappointed even if some of the individual stories are essentially filler.
The rest of the stories in this collection are pretty forgettable, but the inclusion of copious artwork from the author throughout the volume adds considerable interest, so Peake fanatics won't be disappointed even if some of the individual stories are essentially filler.
octavia_cade's review against another edition
4.0
This collection of short fiction from Mervyn Peake has three forewords and six stories, which is an amusing ratio. The bulk of the collection, though, is made up of the novella "Boy in Darkness", which has previously been published separately (I read and reviewed one of those separate editions just recently). It's an outstanding piece of work, and I gave it five stars, so it's mildly unfortunate that it gets dragged down a little here by the other five creative pieces. All short stories, there's a couple that didn't really work for me - "The Connoisseurs" is non-genre and very slight, with an ending a blind man could see coming, and despite Peake's always interesting prose I simply couldn't get into "The Weird Journey". Of the rest, the other general fiction story here, "I Bought a Palm-Tree" is autobiographical and at least mildly amusing. However both "Danse Macabre" and "Same Time, Same Place" are excellent, being both tinged with the bizarre and just flat-out creepy. Given that "Boy in Darkness" is as much horror as fantasy, it seems to me it would have been more sensible to pair it with stories like the last two, rather than diluting the emotional effect with palm trees and old vases.
bookwomble's review
5.0
The title story of this collection is fabulous. If the details in [b:Titus Alone|151242|Titus Alone (Gormenghast, #3)|Mervyn Peake|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486597958s/151242.jpg|3343987] weren't enough evidence, the setting of this novella firmly places the world of Gormenghast in some kind of post-apocalypse future in which vestiges of an advanced technology linger in scattered places. In Boy in Darkness, Peake gives us the horror of the Lamb, a being able to dominate others by force of will and to bend their bodies into the bestial shapes of their id.
14-year old Titus (explicitly named), escapes from his castle home (not explicitly named, but clearly Gormenghast) on the festive date of his birth, wandering into an adjoining, but utterly foreign and unfamiliar wasteland, where he falls first into the clutches of the Goat, and then Hyena, emissaries and thralls of the terrifying Lamb.
Peake's description of the deserts of dust, broken buildings, fractured girders and shattered machinery evokes a post-industrial cataclysm from which, perhaps, Gormenghast was a refuge and sanctuary for survivors - speculative, but possible. I wonder whether Peake's experiences of the London blitz and of being an official War Artist in Germany are channelled through these images?
Boy in Darkness is a worthy supplement to Peake's Gormenghast novels, and an inspired work of literary genius in its own right.
14-year old Titus (explicitly named), escapes from his castle home (not explicitly named, but clearly Gormenghast) on the festive date of his birth, wandering into an adjoining, but utterly foreign and unfamiliar wasteland, where he falls first into the clutches of the Goat, and then Hyena, emissaries and thralls of the terrifying Lamb.
Peake's description of the deserts of dust, broken buildings, fractured girders and shattered machinery evokes a post-industrial cataclysm from which, perhaps, Gormenghast was a refuge and sanctuary for survivors - speculative, but possible. I wonder whether Peake's experiences of the London blitz and of being an official War Artist in Germany are channelled through these images?
Boy in Darkness is a worthy supplement to Peake's Gormenghast novels, and an inspired work of literary genius in its own right.
the_scribbling_man's review against another edition
4.0
My rating covers the overall package, as well as the stories; the forewords and accompanying art. It's a nice little package, even if nothing is quite as good as the title story.
While not outstanding, the collection shows that Peake bordered on literary chameleon. His style, rhythm and pace seems to change from story to story according to what feels apt for the narrative. Always pretty, often whimsical, but the range of writing feels wide.
Boy In Darkness - 4
Nothing beats Titus Groan for me, but this is an enjoyable little nightmare and a nice extension to the world of Gormenghast (and beyond). It starts and ends a little clunkily, but the meat of the tale is engrossing and packed with delicious prose. I'm sad I've now read everything the world has to offer.
The Weird Journey - 3.5
Beautiful prose weaves a breif, whimsical narrative, producing less wonder than expected.
I Bought A Palm-tree - 3.5
A simple, witty story about the spontaneous and uninformed purchasing of a palm-tree.
The Connoisseurs - 3.5
An on the nose, but amusing, satire on art.
Danse Macabre - 3.75
A dark, ghostly tale. I found the writing a tad laborious at first, but the direction the story takes toward the end is intriguing and the ending nothing short of brutal.
Same Time, Same Place - 3.5
A runaway youth and his naive, romantic pursuit. Nicely written, very readable.
Overall a nice little collection. Worth picking up as a fan of Peake, and certainly worth it for the title story alone if you're a Gormenghast completionist.
While not outstanding, the collection shows that Peake bordered on literary chameleon. His style, rhythm and pace seems to change from story to story according to what feels apt for the narrative. Always pretty, often whimsical, but the range of writing feels wide.
Boy In Darkness - 4
Nothing beats Titus Groan for me, but this is an enjoyable little nightmare and a nice extension to the world of Gormenghast (and beyond). It starts and ends a little clunkily, but the meat of the tale is engrossing and packed with delicious prose. I'm sad I've now read everything the world has to offer.
The Weird Journey - 3.5
Beautiful prose weaves a breif, whimsical narrative, producing less wonder than expected.
I Bought A Palm-tree - 3.5
A simple, witty story about the spontaneous and uninformed purchasing of a palm-tree.
The Connoisseurs - 3.5
An on the nose, but amusing, satire on art.
Danse Macabre - 3.75
A dark, ghostly tale. I found the writing a tad laborious at first, but the direction the story takes toward the end is intriguing and the ending nothing short of brutal.
Same Time, Same Place - 3.5
A runaway youth and his naive, romantic pursuit. Nicely written, very readable.
Overall a nice little collection. Worth picking up as a fan of Peake, and certainly worth it for the title story alone if you're a Gormenghast completionist.
arbieroo's review against another edition
On the blurb and in the Introduction, it's stated that the title story is about Titus Groan, though he is never named. Well, he's called "Titus" twice and the setting so closely resembles the Castle of the Groans that there is no doubt at all, as far as I can tell. It's a good, weird, story, too - worth the tiny second-hand price I paid on its own.
THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN CURTAILED IN PROTEST AT GOODREADS' CENSORSHIP POLICY
See the complete review here:
http://arbieroo.booklikes.com/post/893302/boy-in-darkness-mervyn-peake
THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN CURTAILED IN PROTEST AT GOODREADS' CENSORSHIP POLICY
See the complete review here:
http://arbieroo.booklikes.com/post/893302/boy-in-darkness-mervyn-peake
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