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by Maryann Forrest

210 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Brent Legault · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book (and its author) seemed, at first glance, to have the aura of a forgotten gem that needed only a bit of dusting off and mild polishing to make into a modern dazzler. Even at second glance, I could see it (and its author) being republished (to moderate acclaim) by NYRB Classics with an evocative and contextual foreword by, say, Kelly Link or Ottessa Moshfegh.

It's an odd novel, though conventional in form, style, and subject matter -- despite that it succeeds in depicting every social taboo. Its strangeness comes from how it makes the topsy-turvy seem quotidian, something like all of Terry Southern or of Gore Vidal (from MYRA BRECKINRIDGE) or even a tad like Stanley Crawford's GASCOYNE or possibly (stretching it a bit) David Ohle's MOTORMAN or, to really pile it on, like Leonora Carrington's THE HEARING TRUMPET if she had written it in the 60's.

A product of its time, then? Yes, indeed. Complete with the flaws -- (racism, sexism, ethnocentrism.) Except that the others I just mentioned have had a second life, are available and in print while Maryann Forrest's work (she wrote two other novels) languishes without any champion. Trying to buy one of her novels in paper form can be tricky. I paid a prickly penny for the one I read, and it's a lousy ex-library copy. You can find them cheaply under her real name (Polly Hope!) if you don't mind reading on a screen. But I think a nice revamp by a plucky publisher might sell a few thousand if marketed right. So, NYRB, what are you waiting for? I know where you can get your hands on a copy...

[Norbit Roche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in (presumably) a nameless Mediterranean island, a strange event renders the island inescapable and unreachable from the outside world. It's never clear if this is related to war, nature, or the gods. There are a few seemingly fantastical or hyperbolic things that happen, which leads to one of the shortcomings of the novel: it's at times difficult to follow, possibly intentional at times, but largely not. It's unclear just how many people are on the island; at times it seems large, like a full city, while other descriptions make it seem like it's a few hundred at most. A village is anywhere from 500 to 7500 at its highest, but I guess it doesn't really matter.

Before 'The Great Dusting', as the narrator references as the event leading up to the conflict, exists a dichotomy of foreigners that live on the island and the tourists that visit, opposed with the (presumably) Greek natives. Religious prophecy and ethnocentrism drive the two apart, gradually leading towards exploitation, slavery, and finally, sacrifice.

There is a large cast of characters, with even a literal cast as the intro to the book. The narrator herself has what seems like a large family, but it's often difficult to tell how many and who they are, leading to an inevitable apathy when tragedy befalls. She appears to be in some sort of domestic partnership with the father of her children but in an open relationship, with other adults at time living with them. The rest of the foreigners on this island seemingly swing that way as well, leading to more confusion on who is who. Some characters or groups of people disappear forever without any trace; others come back for a quick, tragic scene, minimizing impact and emotion.

In all, it's a grim read. One of those fun endings that leave you staring at the page into nothing. As stated on the cover, it's a mix of Lord of the Flies, apocalypse, and survival fiction -- all of which I adore, hopelessness and all. Despite its frustrations, it's still a compelling read, bordering on a hidden gem. Nigh impossible to get (as are her other books) in tangible form, all three of Hope's novels have miraculously been put into digital, albeit it poorly, littered with odd punctuation and formatting. Gracious to have, nonetheless.