I’ve only read a couple of books by Ronald Malfi, but I do have a number of my to-be-read pile. Most importantly, I am looking forward to reading them. His works that I’ve read have been masterful – written with smooth prose and unique storylines. A Shrill Keening, my latest read of this author, was another fine example of his narrative abilities. Carl Thompson is in long-term psychiatric care after murdering his girlfriend. However, Carl has no recollection of the event or the aftermath that included his arrest and trial. One minute he was home with his girlfriend and the next he remembers is waking up in the institution. His days are spent in a haze, broken up only by therapy sessions with a strange psychiatrist whose therapy skills leave much to be desired (and I thought this portrayal of the psychiatrist was not particularly believable). The nights though, are altogether different. Carl experiences dreams that are so vivid that he wakes up exhausted. The dreams include his exploration of an eastern seaboard community and patrols of a boardwalk – and this setting has been devastated by some kind of apocalyptic event. Only a handful of people are around and the area is populated by small, blue lizards with orange stripes.
To elaborate any more on the plot would do a disservice to a reader. Suffice it to say, the alternative reality that Carl experiences at night may not be part of his psychosis (or maybe it is) – and there is a real purpose for him to end up in this seaside local.
Many reviewers have compared this to a Lovecraft tale. I am not a fan of Lovecraft and I have not read many of his works. Therefore, to me, the story was quite unusual. The settings portrayed are unusual and haunting in their own right. Carl is richly drawn, and his actions and emotions ring true within the plot. The portion of the narrative that involves the “shrill keening” is absolutely spellbinding – and I thought that part of the story was gripping. In fact, I was disappointed that this section did not remain “on stage” for a longer period of time. I wanted to know what was happening in greater detail. On the opposite side of the coin, I felt the hospital sequence went on a tad too long (but this is a minor quibble). Overall, this is a solid 4-star review. Strongly recommended.
To elaborate any more on the plot would do a disservice to a reader. Suffice it to say, the alternative reality that Carl experiences at night may not be part of his psychosis (or maybe it is) – and there is a real purpose for him to end up in this seaside local.
Many reviewers have compared this to a Lovecraft tale. I am not a fan of Lovecraft and I have not read many of his works. Therefore, to me, the story was quite unusual. The settings portrayed are unusual and haunting in their own right. Carl is richly drawn, and his actions and emotions ring true within the plot. The portion of the narrative that involves the “shrill keening” is absolutely spellbinding – and I thought that part of the story was gripping. In fact, I was disappointed that this section did not remain “on stage” for a longer period of time. I wanted to know what was happening in greater detail. On the opposite side of the coin, I felt the hospital sequence went on a tad too long (but this is a minor quibble). Overall, this is a solid 4-star review. Strongly recommended.
RSS Feed
