Review of Burden: by A.J. Shute
Burden by A.J. Shute
This 347-page epic dystopian tale is a mixture of horror and mystery. We follow the main character Artemis, a deeply troubled youth, as he tries desperately to find his true purpose — both in his dark little village at the edge of the forest, and in the world “Outside.”
The book leads the reader through a series of gruesome scenes in which Artemis, as the village healer, has to amputate arms and perform uncomfortably detailed butcheries of his fellow villagers. There are also hints of cannibalism.
Artemus is constantly on the verge of violence against both those around him and the iron-fisted rulers of the village, the Vallincourts, and an even more cruel character named West, who particularly enjoys whipping and beating women and children, for petty reasons that can simply be classified as crimes against the village. Indeed, the demonic West is responsible for breaking the shins of Mother Rain — another central character — for her crime of running away from the village. She becomes pregnant, ostensibly by an Outworlder, and is severely punished for that as well.
As the story develops, Artemis leaves the village to visit the Outside world, where he obtains medical supplies. It is as modern as the village is backward, and he has friends there. Yet even they have a distinctly dark side.
The story continues to reveal ever-increasing abuse to the village residents, some of it at the hands of Artemis, brought on presumably by the constant stress of living in the autocratic small society. There are also a few steamy sex scenes, but even these take on a somber hue as all acts of passion — and compassion — seem to be forbidden in the context of village life.
Some of the author’s poetic turns of phrase are superb: “They carefully wrapped Mother Rain’s slender body in the worn blanket . . . as if rolling a dried corn stalk.” ��And another: “He remembered how even the taste of the air became so sweet on his tongue and so soft in his sore lungs.”
I found this story to be troubling and yet strangely compelling. It is written in a stilted voice that almost makes me think that English is a second language for the author, who uses colorful adjectives and run-on sentences frequently to extend scenes that are nevertheless full of character insight and bloody, inexplicable horror in Artemis’ small village and in the world beyond.
For me, the book, while richly populated with multilayered characters and an interesting premise, moved very slowly — almost too slowly to hold my interest for its full length. And it is populated with phrases such as, “The world snap and will go black.” I often puzzled over these non sequiturs that I am sure were meant to add texture to the story, but frequently just got in the way of my understanding many of the passages.
Shute has written a long and colorful tale of mysterious conflict between and amongst the villagers and the people in the Outside world. The ending is unexpected and reveals much that has heretofore been a mystery. Readers who enjoy a complex — and bloody — horror story will not be disappointed by Burden.
