Number 69 - The Discomfort of Evening - Marieke Lucas Rijneveld

 

This was this month's book group read. It's a debut novel so I had no idea what to expect.  Max Porter has very prominent quotes on the front and back covers so I wasn't expecting anything ordinary.

I wasn't expecting anything quite as bleak and utterly disturbing as this.  It may not be marketed as such, but this is the definition of character based psychological horror.

It's told from the point of view of Jas, a young girl who, aged 10, wishes for her brother to die instead of her rabbit.  He promptly dies in a skating accident on the river and the family shatters.  It was dysfunctional before, but with the death of Matthies, the total disintegration of the family unit sets in.

Jas has a very distinctive voice.  It's one you will either love or hate.  With the exception of a few observations that seem wise beyond her years and education level, it's actually quite a convincing  10 (and then 12) year old voice. It switches mid paragraph to a semi-related topic and back again on a regular basis, much in the same way that young children distract themselves from telling stories all the time. 

This can be a bit wearing and means you need to concentrate to follow the book in places.  It's not an easy read for that reason, or for the subject matter. This book made me feel more uncomfortable than anything else I've read since starting this blog. It goes to some very dark and nasty places.  Be warned that this is not for the faint hearted.

The book feels almost medieval despite the references to Google and Pokemon.  The old fashioned rituals of the family seem to actively combat the aspects of the modern world that appear.

The ending is traumatic.  I knew it wasn't likely to have a Hollywood-happy ending, but I didn't predict quite how deep into the pit of despair it was capable of going. The final chapters will be seared into my memory whether I want them there or not.

This book deserves to be read in as few sittings as possible.  Because the style takes a few pages to adjust to every time you pick it up, the steady accumulation of atmosphere is always lost when you put it down and pick it up hours later.  The longest reading sessions I had with this novel achieved levels of intensity I normally only dream about finding in a book. I wish I'd managed more of the long sessions.  I probably wouldn't have had the problems with the book that I had.

There are still some plot details that don't hang straight with me, but I can't really say what they are without leaving spoilers and this book is too good to do that to. 

Overall the positives outweigh the negatives.  I think this is the single most disturbing thing I've read in years and that - for me - is a good thing.  The writer wasn't aiming at giving us a comfortable read and they succeeded in not doing that.  I await their next book with distinct trepidation.