Nate D's Reviews > Malpertuis: The Classic Modern Gothic Novel

Extravagantly weird mid-century refitting of gothic dread around an eerie house and cast of odd characters vaguely competing for an inheritance. Unlike the somewhat messy film version, this succeeds in maintaining mood and intrigue, and gradually unspooling its sublimely unforeseeable plot (punctuated with audacious scenes of unexpected action) for the full length. Others have noted that it's basically a pulp story (a bit haunted house and a bit And Then There Were None), but again, a singularly weird one (and escapes from being anything really reducible to either of those archetypes), with scenes of unparalleled quasi-surrealist insanity. Really, this was perfect pre-Halloween reading. I was totally satisfied.