Nate D's Reviews > The Cathedral of Mist

Helloooo! I think I picked this up from your review for a summer read after a disaster with 'the quest for christa T (uurgh. Can't speak of it). Anyway,

As I was saying before the new comment box threw me, anyway, an archbishop's tale reminded me of Leonora Carrington. Apropos of whom, I managed to see a fantastic display of her etchings and paintings in a kooky museum called the viktor wynd museum of curiosities. All that flying around in forest beds. Do you also think so? Requiem for the dead reminded me of Jean Genet's our lady of the flowers with respect to the religious element. I had a very soft spot for chrepish and in the horses eye reminded me of Geoff dyer's jeff in venice and death in varnassi. Overall, quite a unique experience. I think I agree: stylishly refined and singular are good descriptors. But short of a five star review from me because despite their esthtically fragile perfection, these stories do not have the 'kick' or 'kickback' which floor you and sear a brand into the memory.

Hello Kniga! Excellent to see your virtual non-face around here, even bearing a load of references to books I haven't read (controversial Christa T reaction: noted; Genet: pushed up the stacks). Oh, except Carrington, of course, who remains near, dear, and close at hand (the new semi-comprehensive collection and weird children's stories are great). I also recently was thrilled to see a few of her works in person -- M and I were in Mexico City in the winter and she had a few works, even a sculpture, in the modern art museum's show on Monsters (plus a whole wonderful Remedios Varo show in the other wing).

But all of that is quite a bit of digression upon digression. I'm glad I didn't steer you wrong on Willems. In the Horse's Eye may have been my favorite, but all had many moments to offer. Perhaps because they often dance along the edge of being essays or poems, they do seem to have shed the narrative satisfaction of a kick, but for that I'm currently enjoying Willims' Symbolist predecessor/countryman Marcel Schwob, who also has a new collection out via Wakefield. I seem to be doing a Belgian fantasist thing.

Oh, but of course you know Schwob. How could I possibly forget your review of The Book of Monelle.