Terror Firmer
01-03-2009, 04:30 AM
Blind Voices by Tom Reamy. A nice tale of supernatural happenings when a carnival arrives in a mid-western town during the 1920s. I am still digesting the book and what it meant to me. Not nearly as good as Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes a similar themed novel written earlier. However mid-way through the book Reamy had me convinced he had written a book better than Bradbury's. The way a series of tragic events began tying together the plot was quite thrilling. In this book you encounter a lascivious Minotaur whose sexuality is noticeable (which made for a couple of rather frank moments in the novel), a senile old snake goddess, a mermaid, the 12" Tiny Tim, Medusa, Henry the hermaphrodite, and Angel the mute albino magic boy. But beneath the veneer of the carnival atmosphere lies a darkness surrounding its owner Haverstock and his muscle Louis and his obsession over Angel especially socializing with people outside his inner circle.
It is also a tale of young adult self discovery and blossoming love, the story centers on three teenage girls who love talking about boys and dating, Evelyn who is taken in by Angel after meeting him and Tiny Tim while they had absconded without Haverstock's knowledge to the river to fish, Rose who begins lying to her parents and friends so she can enjoy liaisons with a handsome young carnival worker, and Francine who is always concerned what the future may harbour by way of romance and obsessed by the possibilities and being teased by the girls for blushing at the minotaur's rigid performance. Typical small town simplicity and innocence.
Mid-way through, Reamy really shines and show his potential to be a great story-teller. However, the latter part of the novel felt too rushed and annoyingly contrived once I learned the bad guys' "motivations" and the Luke Skywalker vs Darth Vader slambang finish didnt fit the build up that had some truly amazing moments of comedy that genuinely made me laugh aloud (when the two townies or carnival hands decide to tour the freak show after the sideshow retired to their respectful wagons) or left me with a gaping mouth at the suspense (the consequences of a crime in the town).
Because the story flies off the rails and goes absolutely bat****, I rate it a solid 7/10. If Reamy had been able to maintain the quality he had midway through the novel, it could have easily been a 10 in my book.
It is also a tale of young adult self discovery and blossoming love, the story centers on three teenage girls who love talking about boys and dating, Evelyn who is taken in by Angel after meeting him and Tiny Tim while they had absconded without Haverstock's knowledge to the river to fish, Rose who begins lying to her parents and friends so she can enjoy liaisons with a handsome young carnival worker, and Francine who is always concerned what the future may harbour by way of romance and obsessed by the possibilities and being teased by the girls for blushing at the minotaur's rigid performance. Typical small town simplicity and innocence.
Mid-way through, Reamy really shines and show his potential to be a great story-teller. However, the latter part of the novel felt too rushed and annoyingly contrived once I learned the bad guys' "motivations" and the Luke Skywalker vs Darth Vader slambang finish didnt fit the build up that had some truly amazing moments of comedy that genuinely made me laugh aloud (when the two townies or carnival hands decide to tour the freak show after the sideshow retired to their respectful wagons) or left me with a gaping mouth at the suspense (the consequences of a crime in the town).
Because the story flies off the rails and goes absolutely bat****, I rate it a solid 7/10. If Reamy had been able to maintain the quality he had midway through the novel, it could have easily been a 10 in my book.