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Book of the Art #2
Everville
On the borderland between this world and the world of Quiddity, the sea of our dreams, sits Everville. For years, it has lived in ignorance of the gleaming shore on which it lies. But its ignorance is not bliss. Opening the door between worlds, Clive Barker delivers his characters into the heart of the human mystery; into a place of revelation, where the forces which have shaped our past(and are ready to destroy our future) are at work.
697 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 1994
About the author
Clive Barker
700 books13k followersClive Barker was born in Liverpool, England, the son of Joan Rubie (née Revill), a painter and school welfare officer, and Leonard Barker, a personnel director for an industrial relations firm. Educated at Dovedale Primary School and Quarry Bank High School, he studied English and Philosophy at Liverpool University and his picture now hangs in the entrance hallway to the Philosophy Department. It was in Liverpool in 1975 that he met his first partner, John Gregson, with whom he lived until 1986. Barker's second long-term relationship, with photographer David Armstrong, ended in 2009.
In 2003, Clive Barker received The Davidson/Valentini Award at the 15th GLAAD Media Awards. This award is presented "to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individual who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for any of those communities". While Barker is critical of organized religion, he has stated that he is a believer in both God and the afterlife, and that the Bible influences his work.
Fans have noticed of late that Barker's voice has become gravelly and coarse. He says in a December 2008 online interview that this is due to polyps in his throat which were so severe that a doctor told him he was taking in ten percent of the air he was supposed to have been getting. He has had two surgeries to remove them and believes his resultant voice is an improvement over how it was prior to the surgeries. He said he did not have cancer and has given up cigars. On August 27, 2010, Barker underwent surgery yet again to remove new polyp growths from his throat. In early February 2012 Barker fell into a coma after a dentist visit led to blood poisoning. Barker remained in a coma for eleven days but eventually came out of it. Fans were notified on his Twitter page about some of the experience and that Barker was recovering after the ordeal, but left with many strange visions.
Barker is one of the leading authors of contemporary horror/fantasy, writing in the horror genre early in his career, mostly in the form of short stories (collected in Books of Blood 1 – 6), and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game (1985). Later he moved towards modern-day fantasy and urban fantasy with horror elements in Weaveworld (1987), The Great and Secret Show (1989), the world-spanning Imajica (1991) and Sacrament (1996), bringing in the deeper, richer concepts of reality, the nature of the mind and dreams, and the power of words and memories.
Barker has a keen interest in movie production, although his films have received mixed receptions. He wrote the screenplays for Underworld (aka Transmutations – 1985) and Rawhead Rex (1986), both directed by George Pavlou. Displeased by how his material was handled, he moved to directing with Hellraiser (1987), based on his novella The Hellbound Heart. His early movies, the shorts The Forbidden and Salome, are experimental art movies with surrealist elements, which have been re-released together to moderate critical acclaim. After his film Nightbreed (Cabal), which was widely considered to be a flop, Barker returned to write and direct Lord of Illusions. Barker was an executive producer of the film Gods and Monsters, which received major critical acclaim.
Barker is a prolific visual artist working in a variety of media, often illustrating his own books. His paintings have been seen first on the covers of his official fan club magazine, Dread, published by Fantaco in the early Nineties, as well on the covers of the collections of his plays, Incarnations (1995) and Forms of Heaven (1996), as well as on the second printing of the original UK publications of his Books of Blood series.
A longtime comics fan, Barker achieved his dream of publishing his own superhero books when Marvel Comics launched the Razorline imprint in 1993. Based on detailed premises, titles and lead characters he created specifically for this, the four interrelated titles — set outside the Marvel universe — were Ectokid,
In 2003, Clive Barker received The Davidson/Valentini Award at the 15th GLAAD Media Awards. This award is presented "to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individual who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for any of those communities". While Barker is critical of organized religion, he has stated that he is a believer in both God and the afterlife, and that the Bible influences his work.
Fans have noticed of late that Barker's voice has become gravelly and coarse. He says in a December 2008 online interview that this is due to polyps in his throat which were so severe that a doctor told him he was taking in ten percent of the air he was supposed to have been getting. He has had two surgeries to remove them and believes his resultant voice is an improvement over how it was prior to the surgeries. He said he did not have cancer and has given up cigars. On August 27, 2010, Barker underwent surgery yet again to remove new polyp growths from his throat. In early February 2012 Barker fell into a coma after a dentist visit led to blood poisoning. Barker remained in a coma for eleven days but eventually came out of it. Fans were notified on his Twitter page about some of the experience and that Barker was recovering after the ordeal, but left with many strange visions.
Barker is one of the leading authors of contemporary horror/fantasy, writing in the horror genre early in his career, mostly in the form of short stories (collected in Books of Blood 1 – 6), and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game (1985). Later he moved towards modern-day fantasy and urban fantasy with horror elements in Weaveworld (1987), The Great and Secret Show (1989), the world-spanning Imajica (1991) and Sacrament (1996), bringing in the deeper, richer concepts of reality, the nature of the mind and dreams, and the power of words and memories.
Barker has a keen interest in movie production, although his films have received mixed receptions. He wrote the screenplays for Underworld (aka Transmutations – 1985) and Rawhead Rex (1986), both directed by George Pavlou. Displeased by how his material was handled, he moved to directing with Hellraiser (1987), based on his novella The Hellbound Heart. His early movies, the shorts The Forbidden and Salome, are experimental art movies with surrealist elements, which have been re-released together to moderate critical acclaim. After his film Nightbreed (Cabal), which was widely considered to be a flop, Barker returned to write and direct Lord of Illusions. Barker was an executive producer of the film Gods and Monsters, which received major critical acclaim.
Barker is a prolific visual artist working in a variety of media, often illustrating his own books. His paintings have been seen first on the covers of his official fan club magazine, Dread, published by Fantaco in the early Nineties, as well on the covers of the collections of his plays, Incarnations (1995) and Forms of Heaven (1996), as well as on the second printing of the original UK publications of his Books of Blood series.
A longtime comics fan, Barker achieved his dream of publishing his own superhero books when Marvel Comics launched the Razorline imprint in 1993. Based on detailed premises, titles and lead characters he created specifically for this, the four interrelated titles — set outside the Marvel universe — were Ectokid,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
January 16, 2009
This was excellent. A wonderful part 2 to The Great and Secret Show. I really loved that it was a story in itself. Often, it seems that authors give us a part two just to cash in on the characters we knew and loved in the first one. This is definitely not the case with this book. There are characters from the first one (Tesla, Raul, Grillo, JoBeth, Tommy Ray, and Howie) but none of them are mentioned for the first 100 pages or so. This means that we get new characters and a new problem. The other great thing about this type of sequel is that the author doesn't fall into either trap by summarizing everything from the first one or introducing totally new material with the assumption that we have just finished the first book. He seamlessly reminds us of the important things we must remember from the first book but in a way where I don't feel like he is totally insulting me by rehashing it or to the detriment of someone who didn't know there was a prequel.
The story was beautiful. The character of Phoebe was instantly relatable (though in some ways similar to a character from Coldheart Canyon; but then again, I guess a slightly overweight, middle-aged, unhappily married woman is probably more common than I would like to think). I don't want to give too much away, but Joe and Phoebe were excellent together and apart. Sometimes the individual characters in a couple are not totally fleshed out and get some of their identity from each other but not here. Joe was a vibrant character, stubborn, sweet, sexy; even when he was without Phoebe.
Reading these books I wish Quiddity were real. It seems like my generation is so beset by apathy that we NEED something like the events in these books to force us to evolve. Perhaps the economic distress, global warming, and political upheaval in the world right now is going to force a change on our generation but from my point of view that wouldn't be a bad thing. The world will always be here, but it will change. I think change is upon us (especially in the US where we are days away from a new president and some possible changes) and by embracing that change we can enjoy a peaceful, environmentally friendly, tolerant future.
The story was beautiful. The character of Phoebe was instantly relatable (though in some ways similar to a character from Coldheart Canyon; but then again, I guess a slightly overweight, middle-aged, unhappily married woman is probably more common than I would like to think). I don't want to give too much away, but Joe and Phoebe were excellent together and apart. Sometimes the individual characters in a couple are not totally fleshed out and get some of their identity from each other but not here. Joe was a vibrant character, stubborn, sweet, sexy; even when he was without Phoebe.
Reading these books I wish Quiddity were real. It seems like my generation is so beset by apathy that we NEED something like the events in these books to force us to evolve. Perhaps the economic distress, global warming, and political upheaval in the world right now is going to force a change on our generation but from my point of view that wouldn't be a bad thing. The world will always be here, but it will change. I think change is upon us (especially in the US where we are days away from a new president and some possible changes) and by embracing that change we can enjoy a peaceful, environmentally friendly, tolerant future.
July 20, 2021
All my wishes came true and this was WAY better than the first book in the series. The pacing was exactly where I needed it to be and everything was less confusing because I had a grasp on it already from the first book. I really enjoyed seeing some characters more fleshed out and getting to pick their brains almost, it added a new dimension to the story that I really dug. I loved where Barker took the story too, it really wasn’t what I was expecting from a sequel but it turns out it was exactly what I didn’t know I wanted. The world he has created with this series is pretty astonishing, it’s something that should take ten books to develop but he did it two and if that doesn’t blow your mind then I don’t know what will. I’m really glad I went against my gut and read this one after being so lukewarm and iffy on the first, now I’m positively dying for more of this deliciously fantastical horror story!
October 27, 2018
Everville, along with its predecessor The Great and Secret Show, is an all-encompassing, life-affirming journey through the wicked and fantastical. This novel is, literally, beyond my ability to review. Just read it.
January 8, 2023
Leggere Barker, per me, è come guardare un quadro al museo. Rimango lì per dei minuti interi in silenzio, in contemplazione, ovviamente non con qualsiasi quadro, deve essere un'opera che mi catturi. Ma quando ciò avviene, allora è lì che la mia mente vaga per infiniti mondi fantastici. Un particolare, un colore specifico, anche solo uno schizzo lasciato lì da un'opera astratta, per esempio, allora quella macchiolina, che alla maggior parte della gente non significa nulla, a me apre la mente ad un mondo al di là del reale, nel sottile ma sconfinato/infinito universo dell'immaginazione.
Ecco Barker è tutto questo e con Everville, penso si sia superato. Everville è un'opera mutaforma e multiforme. Mutaforma perchè quando ho iniziato a leggere le prime pagine, ero immerso in un determinato luogo e tempo, ero lì con i protagonisti assorto nella storia fino ad estraniarmi dal quotidiano, poi ecco che l'Arte di Barker prende forma e tutto cambia registro e così via per tutto il libro.
Questo potrebbe disorientare il lettore, a me invece ha fatto l'effetto contrario ed elevato all'ennesima potenza, sì perchè una lettura così coinvolgente penso di averla fatta poche volte.
Multiforme invece perchè Barker è riuscito a metterci tanto, sia come argomentazioni che come protagonisti ed è, soprattutto, riuscito a dosarli alla perfezione, senza scadere mai nello stereotipo, senza allungare mai il brodo e senza perdersi nella "folla narrativa".
Barker è un autore straordinario, perchè riesco a riconoscerlo anche solo da una frase letta, è così originale e particolare, riesce a creare delle storie di una immaginazione folle ed estrema, ma che alla fine mi lascia con una marea di riflessioni sociali sulla vita, l'amore universale e su ciò che siamo: null'altro che i protagonisti delle storie che ci raccontiamo e soprattutto che queste storie sono sempre in divenire, perchè, semplicemente, noi esistiamo, viviamo, ci raccontiamo e ci leggiamo!
Ecco Barker è tutto questo e con Everville, penso si sia superato. Everville è un'opera mutaforma e multiforme. Mutaforma perchè quando ho iniziato a leggere le prime pagine, ero immerso in un determinato luogo e tempo, ero lì con i protagonisti assorto nella storia fino ad estraniarmi dal quotidiano, poi ecco che l'Arte di Barker prende forma e tutto cambia registro e così via per tutto il libro.
Questo potrebbe disorientare il lettore, a me invece ha fatto l'effetto contrario ed elevato all'ennesima potenza, sì perchè una lettura così coinvolgente penso di averla fatta poche volte.
Multiforme invece perchè Barker è riuscito a metterci tanto, sia come argomentazioni che come protagonisti ed è, soprattutto, riuscito a dosarli alla perfezione, senza scadere mai nello stereotipo, senza allungare mai il brodo e senza perdersi nella "folla narrativa".
Barker è un autore straordinario, perchè riesco a riconoscerlo anche solo da una frase letta, è così originale e particolare, riesce a creare delle storie di una immaginazione folle ed estrema, ma che alla fine mi lascia con una marea di riflessioni sociali sulla vita, l'amore universale e su ciò che siamo: null'altro che i protagonisti delle storie che ci raccontiamo e soprattutto che queste storie sono sempre in divenire, perchè, semplicemente, noi esistiamo, viviamo, ci raccontiamo e ci leggiamo!
December 24, 2018
What once separated Quiddity from our world is dangerously close to being no more. The task of saving what we know from what we dream is left to a band of misfits who are in a race against time and the creatures that have already slipped through the cracks.
I wish I remembered more of the book that came before this one. The recapped pieces in this one, weren’t enough to refresh my memory, so a quarter of the way through I had to give up and read it like it was a stand-alone. I’m pretty sure this changed my receptiveness to it. Instead of it being a “tying up loose ends” read it became a “what in the hell happened to get me here" one. There was quite a bit of stuff I just had to let go of and take it as it was. This is not at all how my brain likes to work. I prefer connections and things I can mull over long after I complete the book.
Three stars to a book that was short on the recap and heavy on the odd.
I wish I remembered more of the book that came before this one. The recapped pieces in this one, weren’t enough to refresh my memory, so a quarter of the way through I had to give up and read it like it was a stand-alone. I’m pretty sure this changed my receptiveness to it. Instead of it being a “tying up loose ends” read it became a “what in the hell happened to get me here" one. There was quite a bit of stuff I just had to let go of and take it as it was. This is not at all how my brain likes to work. I prefer connections and things I can mull over long after I complete the book.
Three stars to a book that was short on the recap and heavy on the odd.
January 18, 2019
Everville by Clive Barker was an excellent read. Previously, I struggled with Book of the Art#1, The Great and Secret Show, it took me months to get through the first chapter and finish the book. I did not have that stall with Everville. Mr. Barker did such an amazing job with this book, it can stand alone without ever reading Book #1. There are certainly characters from the first book that roll into the second but there are just as many, if not more, new characters to get to know and understand.
The characters are well defined and easily relatable. There are many characters that I felt I knew someone comparable outside of the book.
The fantasy of Quiddity is beautiful, exotic and intoxicating. There are too many parts of the story to define but there is the past story, the present, and the fantasy which is both part fantastic and part wicked. Mr. Barker creates an alternate world that must be read to be understood and believed. The author is an artist at painting the struggle of what it means to be human and our own personal struggles as to the mystery of being human.
The Book of the Art Series were intended to be a trilogy. Everville was published in 1994 and there has been no indication that the author will write the final episode. I'm disappointed to not read Book #3 but the first two books do work together very well.
The characters are well defined and easily relatable. There are many characters that I felt I knew someone comparable outside of the book.
The fantasy of Quiddity is beautiful, exotic and intoxicating. There are too many parts of the story to define but there is the past story, the present, and the fantasy which is both part fantastic and part wicked. Mr. Barker creates an alternate world that must be read to be understood and believed. The author is an artist at painting the struggle of what it means to be human and our own personal struggles as to the mystery of being human.
The Book of the Art Series were intended to be a trilogy. Everville was published in 1994 and there has been no indication that the author will write the final episode. I'm disappointed to not read Book #3 but the first two books do work together very well.
March 1, 2017
Κλασικό έργο του Clive Barker, a.k.a. γεμάτο από τέρατα, ανθρώπους "ιδιαίτερους", Θεούς και το τέλος του κόσμου να πλησιάζει ανελέητα, όλα αυτά σε μια κατά τα άλλα ... αδιάφορη πόλη της Αμερικής! Και με σεξουαλικές σκηνές ιδιαίτερα... πειστικές!!!
Σημαντικό ότι το βιβλίο είναι συνέχεια του Μεγάλου Μυστικού Θεάματος με πολλούς ήρωες να εμφανίζονται σε εκείνο το βιβλίο. Προσωπικά - επειδή δεν το είχα διαβάσει - ένιωθα ότι κάτι έχανα από τους ήρωες, οπότε καλό θα ήταν ο αναγνώστης να διαβάσει πρώτα το Μεγάλο Μυστικό Θέαμα για να κατανοήσει καλύτερα την ψυχοσύνθεση των ηρώων. Σε κάθε περίπτωση το βιβλίο θα το λατρέψουν οι φανατικοί του Μπάρκερ και του είδους (μεταφυσικός τρόμος)
Αλήθεια, πιστεύετε - σαν κι εμένα - ότι ο Μπάρκερ συνεχίζει στο δρόμο του Lovecraft?
Σημαντικό ότι το βιβλίο είναι συνέχεια του Μεγάλου Μυστικού Θεάματος με πολλούς ήρωες να εμφανίζονται σε εκείνο το βιβλίο. Προσωπικά - επειδή δεν το είχα διαβάσει - ένιωθα ότι κάτι έχανα από τους ήρωες, οπότε καλό θα ήταν ο αναγνώστης να διαβάσει πρώτα το Μεγάλο Μυστικό Θέαμα για να κατανοήσει καλύτερα την ψυχοσύνθεση των ηρώων. Σε κάθε περίπτωση το βιβλίο θα το λατρέψουν οι φανατικοί του Μπάρκερ και του είδους (μεταφυσικός τρόμος)
Αλήθεια, πιστεύετε - σαν κι εμένα - ότι ο Μπάρκερ συνεχίζει στο δρόμο του Lovecraft?
April 3, 2008
You have to start with The Great and Secret Show but as soon as you start Everville you are surrounded by old friends and enemies. One of my favorite books of all time!
April 21, 2017
Βιβλίο θητείας #2
Readathon 2017 [2/13]: Ένα βιβλίο με 1 μόνο λέξη στον τίτλο
Μετά το εξαιρετικό Το μεγάλο μυστικό θέαμα η Τέσλα Μπόμπεκ, ο Γκρίλο κι ο Χάρι μας ξανασυστήνονται σε νέες περιπέτειες. Είναι σκληρή δουλειά να προσπαθείς να σώσεις τον κόσμο από την καταστροφή κι ο Barker ξέρει να βασανίσει τους ήρωες του βάζοντας ατέλειωτα εμπόδια και ηθικά διλήμματα. Αριστοτεχνική αφήγηση για ακόμη μια φορά που δημιουργεί παραισθησιογόνο σασπένς, εξαιρετικοί χαρακτήρες που αναδιπλώνουν υπέροχα τις αρετές μα και τα ελαττώματα της ανθρώπινης φύσης και πολύς -μα πολύς- θάνατος. Βιβλίο του Barker είναι άλλωστε.
Παρά την ατμοσφαιρική και κλειστοφοβική εξιστόρηση όμως, ο συγγραφέας εδώ νομίζω κουράστηκε ή βαρέθηκε στην πορεία. Κι ενώ η πλοκή είχε όλα τα φόντα για να απογειωθεί, το αποτέλεσμα άρχισε να θυμίζει κολλάζ σκόρπιων ιδεών.
Μένει μόνο να δούμε αν άραγε θα γραφτεί ποτέ το 3ο και τελευταίο μέρος της σειράς...
★★★½
Readathon 2017 [2/13]: Ένα βιβλίο με 1 μόνο λέξη στον τίτλο
Μετά το εξαιρετικό Το μεγάλο μυστικό θέαμα η Τέσλα Μπόμπεκ, ο Γκρίλο κι ο Χάρι μας ξανασυστήνονται σε νέες περιπέτειες. Είναι σκληρή δουλειά να προσπαθείς να σώσεις τον κόσμο από την καταστροφή κι ο Barker ξέρει να βασανίσει τους ήρωες του βάζοντας ατέλειωτα εμπόδια και ηθικά διλήμματα. Αριστοτεχνική αφήγηση για ακόμη μια φορά που δημιουργεί παραισθησιογόνο σασπένς, εξαιρετικοί χαρακτήρες που αναδιπλώνουν υπέροχα τις αρετές μα και τα ελαττώματα της ανθρώπινης φύσης και πολύς -μα πολύς- θάνατος. Βιβλίο του Barker είναι άλλωστε.
Παρά την ατμοσφαιρική και κλειστοφοβική εξιστόρηση όμως, ο συγγραφέας εδώ νομίζω κουράστηκε ή βαρέθηκε στην πορεία. Κι ενώ η πλοκή είχε όλα τα φόντα για να απογειωθεί, το αποτέλεσμα άρχισε να θυμίζει κολλάζ σκόρπιων ιδεών.
Μένει μόνο να δούμε αν άραγε θα γραφτεί ποτέ το 3ο και τελευταίο μέρος της σειράς...
★★★½
February 24, 2017
Everville is a uniquely wonderful book. A metaphysical fantasy that not only stretches the boundaries of your imagination, but also keeps you engrossed in the plot.
It makes you think deep into the various possibilities of existence, and I’m falling short of words to describe the author’s brilliance here. I’ll just say this- you must read it. (You’ll have to read the first book ‘The Great and Secret Show’, to get to this one. But it’ll be worth it because the shortcomings of the first book are seen nowhere in this one.)
The characters are interesting and likeable. Yet, when they die, you don’t really feel remorseful; you just ask ‘what’s next?’. Such is the power of the plot that the book doesn’t rely on your attachment to its characters to keep you going.
‘Book of the Art’ is an unfinished trilogy... The third book might never come out, which is a little sad. Nevertheless, Everville held its own story. And I'm so glad I read this.
It makes you think deep into the various possibilities of existence, and I’m falling short of words to describe the author’s brilliance here. I’ll just say this- you must read it. (You’ll have to read the first book ‘The Great and Secret Show’, to get to this one. But it’ll be worth it because the shortcomings of the first book are seen nowhere in this one.)
The characters are interesting and likeable. Yet, when they die, you don’t really feel remorseful; you just ask ‘what’s next?’. Such is the power of the plot that the book doesn’t rely on your attachment to its characters to keep you going.
‘Book of the Art’ is an unfinished trilogy... The third book might never come out, which is a little sad. Nevertheless, Everville held its own story. And I'm so glad I read this.
May 15, 2021
This. This was huge and encompassing. I'm sort of surprised I'd never read it before, since The Great and Secret Show is a longtime favorite, but a thousand pages is practically a project. An investment. I happened to be sick a few days from work so I tackled it, and SO. GLAD. If you're a Clive Barker fan you will love it. For anybody else, it's a lot, definitely worth it. What a saga. It has everything.
April 3, 2011
I can see why some people might enjoy this book, and the writing was good enough. However, I finally gave up when I realized I didn't care about any of the characters, and it was making me depressed. I have better things to do with my time.
April 13, 2009
The year of 1994 saw the first publication of Everville - The second Book of The Art. Following on from the awesome novel 'The Great And Secret Show' (1989), 'Everville' is the second installment into the proposed trilogy. The novel is a spectacular escape into the limitless world of Clive Barker's imagination. The story of Everville stands well as a story on its own, and can indeed be read without having read the first book, but it does work best as a sequel.
Everville finds itself exploring and expanding more upon the characters that appear in the first novel. The storyline becomes more intense and fast-paced, with the complex ideas and principals of the novels forming a powerful underlying basis to the book.
This sequel is nothing short of genius, delivering a gripping and involved storyline that will set your imagination alive. This is a book that you will truly treasure for the rest of your life. Please, if you haven't already done so...go out and read this book.
Running for a total of 640 pages, the book doesn't once lose it's interest or it's hold over you. A true masterpiece in every sense of the word.
Everville finds itself exploring and expanding more upon the characters that appear in the first novel. The storyline becomes more intense and fast-paced, with the complex ideas and principals of the novels forming a powerful underlying basis to the book.
This sequel is nothing short of genius, delivering a gripping and involved storyline that will set your imagination alive. This is a book that you will truly treasure for the rest of your life. Please, if you haven't already done so...go out and read this book.
Running for a total of 640 pages, the book doesn't once lose it's interest or it's hold over you. A true masterpiece in every sense of the word.
December 24, 2011
One of the first books I read outside of school. After spending my summers hunting bullfrogs and watching Welcome Back Kotter on Canadian television, this book rocked my world. The small-town horse blinders I had been wearing since childhood were punched off by a fist forged from LSD and pornography . . . or something like that. I had listened to Cannibal Corpse before reading this book, so I was acquainted with vile concepts. This was probably one of the first outlandish and disturbing things I was exposed to that had substance, however. For me, that's important.
I didn't read The Great and Secret Show until a few years later, and many of the problems I had with Everville were resolved when I finally did. I love both, but Everville was my first, and for that reason I love it more.
I didn't read The Great and Secret Show until a few years later, and many of the problems I had with Everville were resolved when I finally did. I love both, but Everville was my first, and for that reason I love it more.
May 16, 2018
“Maybe the best journey’s are ones with no return tickets”
Everville by Clive Barker is the Second Book of The Art and continues on with the story from The Great And Secret Show.
Instantly after the first few chapters we are reunited with some of the best characters from the first book. There is an eclectic range of them to love and hate. I was excited to see Harry D’Amour and Tesla again and my favourite Norma!! We also get to meet Mave who dreamed Everville into existence. Each one of these characters are living contrasting lives however all connected in the great scheme of things because of Quiddity.
The story takes us through various journeys each character is on towards the conclusion of who will possess The Art. There are many fights amongst humans, demons, entities and much more. Clive Barker uses his iconic style of writing to completely grip the reader. The use of such incredible imagery and unthinkable scenarios between the parallel worlds within Quiddity were incredibly written. The despair, love, hatred, hope, sacrifice and dread were only a few of many themes that run through this book that kept me reading on and each of them expressed in a unique disturbing yet beautiful way.
Everville for me is an excellent continuation of the story about Quiddity and The Art. As always the disturbing and grotesque imagery is still present as well as the incredible imaginative events that take place. Reading the first book is helpful to know all the intimate details however even if you read Everville without the first you are told about what has happened before in detail. I would however recommend reading the books in order and immersing yourself into a world of horror and bat shit crazy fantasy 😈🖤
Everville by Clive Barker is the Second Book of The Art and continues on with the story from The Great And Secret Show.
Instantly after the first few chapters we are reunited with some of the best characters from the first book. There is an eclectic range of them to love and hate. I was excited to see Harry D’Amour and Tesla again and my favourite Norma!! We also get to meet Mave who dreamed Everville into existence. Each one of these characters are living contrasting lives however all connected in the great scheme of things because of Quiddity.
The story takes us through various journeys each character is on towards the conclusion of who will possess The Art. There are many fights amongst humans, demons, entities and much more. Clive Barker uses his iconic style of writing to completely grip the reader. The use of such incredible imagery and unthinkable scenarios between the parallel worlds within Quiddity were incredibly written. The despair, love, hatred, hope, sacrifice and dread were only a few of many themes that run through this book that kept me reading on and each of them expressed in a unique disturbing yet beautiful way.
Everville for me is an excellent continuation of the story about Quiddity and The Art. As always the disturbing and grotesque imagery is still present as well as the incredible imaginative events that take place. Reading the first book is helpful to know all the intimate details however even if you read Everville without the first you are told about what has happened before in detail. I would however recommend reading the books in order and immersing yourself into a world of horror and bat shit crazy fantasy 😈🖤
December 11, 2010
utterly forgettable follow up to The Great & Secret Show
May 30, 2017
Ako mi je Utkani svet bio čaša hladnog piva onda bih ovo mogla da stavim pod veoma mlako da ne kažem toplo pivo.Obećavajući početak i zanimljiv kraj ali između poprilično viška stranica.
June 22, 2015
Barker's Second Book of the Art is a muddled disappointment but manage to keep my interest.
Alternately savage, disgusting and beautiful, Everville never really takes flight. It doesn't show any of the lyrical prose of its predecessor until more than halfway through and it remains disjointed even "The Grand Design" is revealed in Part VI. Most of the characters introduced are unappealing and the ones that return from The Great and Secret Show no longer have their previous interest level. In fact, Barker seemingly brings characters back to to kill them off--which doesn't mean anything really, I suppose, since death is a transition to a new existence in the Art Books. Still, the story does have it's moments (Phoebe's and Joe's coupling in Quiddity, the dream-sea, is a standout) and a character I had expected to dislike (Harry D'Amour, based on his appearance in The Scarlet Gospels) turned out to be my favorite character of the book.
Another of the problems I had was that there didn't seem to be a clear villain in this outing. Owen Buddenbaum seemed to be manipulating the events of the book (with divine help), but then Kissoon (who is much more compelling a villain) returns and appears to be the one in control of the whole affair. If this were the middle book of a trilogy, I could understand the confusion being introduced, but since there is no concluding (or continuing) volume, I am at a loss to really appreciate this novel.
This was a 2 1/2 star effort for me. But then, on page 343, Barker makes the following statement:
"...in a week his defenestration would be an embarrassing memory..."
This word is #1 on my short list of favorite words in the English language. I have very little opportunity to use this word in everyday speech (and I don't come across the word "defenestrate" or any conjugates of the word in literature very often), so I must give it special attention. For me, it is worth an extra 1/2 star in rating.
Alternately savage, disgusting and beautiful, Everville never really takes flight. It doesn't show any of the lyrical prose of its predecessor until more than halfway through and it remains disjointed even "The Grand Design" is revealed in Part VI. Most of the characters introduced are unappealing and the ones that return from The Great and Secret Show no longer have their previous interest level. In fact, Barker seemingly brings characters back to to kill them off--which doesn't mean anything really, I suppose, since death is a transition to a new existence in the Art Books. Still, the story does have it's moments (Phoebe's and Joe's coupling in Quiddity, the dream-sea, is a standout) and a character I had expected to dislike (Harry D'Amour, based on his appearance in The Scarlet Gospels) turned out to be my favorite character of the book.
Another of the problems I had was that there didn't seem to be a clear villain in this outing. Owen Buddenbaum seemed to be manipulating the events of the book (with divine help), but then Kissoon (who is much more compelling a villain) returns and appears to be the one in control of the whole affair. If this were the middle book of a trilogy, I could understand the confusion being introduced, but since there is no concluding (or continuing) volume, I am at a loss to really appreciate this novel.
This was a 2 1/2 star effort for me. But then, on page 343, Barker makes the following statement:
"...in a week his defenestration would be an embarrassing memory..."
This word is #1 on my short list of favorite words in the English language. I have very little opportunity to use this word in everyday speech (and I don't come across the word "defenestrate" or any conjugates of the word in literature very often), so I must give it special attention. For me, it is worth an extra 1/2 star in rating.
July 2, 2008
Excellent follow up to "The Great and Secret Show." Where the other was more guts and gore, this novel was complete fantasy, reminded me a bit of "Weaveworld" and the movie "What Dreams May Come." I love Clive Barker's imagination and characters. I did notice that his hetero-relationships were romanticized, while the few gay characters seem to have more gritty lifestyles and love lives. I don't know if this distinction was made consciously, but it did bother me once I noticed the strong contrast. Nevertheless, a great read.
February 4, 2015
I love Clive Barker's fantasy, but this baby just didn't work for me. He betrays some characters from the first book (Great And Secret Show) while somehow managing to make its main protagonist, Tesla Bombeck, even less likable. Owen Buddenbahm (forgive my spelling here, I have not read this book since 1995) and his lover, Seth, do not make interesting villains. I was happy when this book ended, and a little puzzled with disappointment.
The greatness that Barker is capable of (see Weaveworld, Imajica, and The Thief Of Always) does not present itself here.
The greatness that Barker is capable of (see Weaveworld, Imajica, and The Thief Of Always) does not present itself here.
November 24, 2014
It was on October two years ago when I decided to familiarize myself with Clive Barker’s works, especially since I thoroughly enjoyed his graphic novel Tapping the Vein. I thought he had a very eloquent prose that fits his gothic and horror themes, so I was more than happy to pick up Everville in one of the secondhand bookstores I go to. As soon as I was done with re-reading some favorite chapters in Les Miserables and The Hobbit in preparation for the film viewing of these two, I went straight for Everviile, eager to devour the contents since the writer was a promising one. On one hand, it was one of the most magnetic and exquisitely realized stories I’ve ever seen in print. On the other, my enjoyment of this novel also depended on my mental preparedness and attention and in that regard, I somehow lost track and found the reading experience tedious since my focus is not entirely on this book. This may make my review slightly evasive but I will try my best to illuminate the good parts of this story as well as the overall great quality of the novel.
First off, Everville was a sequel to The Great and Secret Show. About a hundred pages in, I was beginning to suspect that I was missing some ingredients about the story so I googled it and saw that it was supposed to be the second book of The Book of Art series, which is probably the reason why I can’t seem to grasp everything that easily. However, this book can be enjoyed by itself but I think I would advice that one must read the first book since it can enhance one’s appreciation for the adventures and subtle character dynamics present in Everville. My breaks in between reading the book was also a factor to consider. It always takes me a whole week before I could get back to reading, and this even made my understanding of the subplots and characters shamefully inconsistent. Take away all the struggle to squeeze this book into my hectic college calendar, and I could confidently say that this book is one of the strangest yet intensely captivating stories I have read in a while. It’s a breathless fantasy story that mingles horror and romance in the most sensual way and in a span of chapters was able to blend of eroticism and terror in the kind of prose that makes Barker’s narrative style definitively enigmatic.
There are many sublots that are entangled between and among each other so I really advise that your breaks between reading this book are not as long as mine in order to sustain your grasp on the stories and characters and you’ll be more enthralled with the conflicts that follow after in doing so. There is a lot of groundwork to be established in the beginning five to six chapters or so, but Barker introduces and fleshes out the main players seamlessly enough especially since these characters are integral to the events that are about to transpire. The setting alternates between Everville and Quiddity, locations that harbor a history of secrets and power which eccentric individuals who travel from one to the other are in search for their own destinies or are caught up in a meaningful tapestry that unfolds before their eyes. Both places are born from dreams, made real by being shaped from certain desires and longing, and they converge through humanity’s consciousness. The central plot is confounding but with an elusive mythology that I find charming and deceptive as I read on. At some point in our lives, we travel Quiddity but only three times: when we are born, when we first love, and when we die.
Memorable characters were Tesla Bombeck, Owen Buddenbaum, Nathan Grillo and Phoebe Cobb. Numerous minor characters who interact with these major ones provide the subplots with more intrigue, suspense and drama as many revelations become more and more transparent halfway through the book. The pacing was evenly distributed among the most important subplot and character although the quantity of such subplots and characters can be actually become tad underwhelming in some chapters. The mythos and overall atmosphere of the novel reminded me of HBO’s short-lived but equally brilliant series Carnivale which dealt with the same elements of mystic forces making up the fabric of a society that is on the verge of mass destruction. There are also Christian elements on the novel that translate well as effective contrast to the almost blatant paganism of the characters from Quiddity. The themes of the novel dealt on the exploration of the concept of destinies, deities, faith in forces beyond human comprehension, and humanity’s ability to transform dreams into concrete people and places.
I truly liked the book. I’m going to look for a copy of The Great and Secret Show when I find the time. I think there is a lot to the story I wasn’t able to digest well, especially since the characters featured are admirably depicted, thanks to Barker’s lavish but not excessive style of characterization and descriptive narrative. I think it could be remedied when I’m able to read the prequel.
RECOMMENDED granted you also read the first book: 8/10
First off, Everville was a sequel to The Great and Secret Show. About a hundred pages in, I was beginning to suspect that I was missing some ingredients about the story so I googled it and saw that it was supposed to be the second book of The Book of Art series, which is probably the reason why I can’t seem to grasp everything that easily. However, this book can be enjoyed by itself but I think I would advice that one must read the first book since it can enhance one’s appreciation for the adventures and subtle character dynamics present in Everville. My breaks in between reading the book was also a factor to consider. It always takes me a whole week before I could get back to reading, and this even made my understanding of the subplots and characters shamefully inconsistent. Take away all the struggle to squeeze this book into my hectic college calendar, and I could confidently say that this book is one of the strangest yet intensely captivating stories I have read in a while. It’s a breathless fantasy story that mingles horror and romance in the most sensual way and in a span of chapters was able to blend of eroticism and terror in the kind of prose that makes Barker’s narrative style definitively enigmatic.
There are many sublots that are entangled between and among each other so I really advise that your breaks between reading this book are not as long as mine in order to sustain your grasp on the stories and characters and you’ll be more enthralled with the conflicts that follow after in doing so. There is a lot of groundwork to be established in the beginning five to six chapters or so, but Barker introduces and fleshes out the main players seamlessly enough especially since these characters are integral to the events that are about to transpire. The setting alternates between Everville and Quiddity, locations that harbor a history of secrets and power which eccentric individuals who travel from one to the other are in search for their own destinies or are caught up in a meaningful tapestry that unfolds before their eyes. Both places are born from dreams, made real by being shaped from certain desires and longing, and they converge through humanity’s consciousness. The central plot is confounding but with an elusive mythology that I find charming and deceptive as I read on. At some point in our lives, we travel Quiddity but only three times: when we are born, when we first love, and when we die.
Memorable characters were Tesla Bombeck, Owen Buddenbaum, Nathan Grillo and Phoebe Cobb. Numerous minor characters who interact with these major ones provide the subplots with more intrigue, suspense and drama as many revelations become more and more transparent halfway through the book. The pacing was evenly distributed among the most important subplot and character although the quantity of such subplots and characters can be actually become tad underwhelming in some chapters. The mythos and overall atmosphere of the novel reminded me of HBO’s short-lived but equally brilliant series Carnivale which dealt with the same elements of mystic forces making up the fabric of a society that is on the verge of mass destruction. There are also Christian elements on the novel that translate well as effective contrast to the almost blatant paganism of the characters from Quiddity. The themes of the novel dealt on the exploration of the concept of destinies, deities, faith in forces beyond human comprehension, and humanity’s ability to transform dreams into concrete people and places.
I truly liked the book. I’m going to look for a copy of The Great and Secret Show when I find the time. I think there is a lot to the story I wasn’t able to digest well, especially since the characters featured are admirably depicted, thanks to Barker’s lavish but not excessive style of characterization and descriptive narrative. I think it could be remedied when I’m able to read the prequel.
RECOMMENDED granted you also read the first book: 8/10
July 1, 2013
Clive Barker's "Everville" is just as rich, exciting, and full of genre-mixing as its predecessor "The Great and Secret Show." I read "Everville" first as a fourteen-year-old kid, missing the title page that stated very clearly that this was the "SECOND Book of the Art." I don't recall being confused by the story at all; but certain elements were, of course, much clearer a couple years later, when I read "The Great and Secret Show" and then re-read "Everville." It's been a few years, so I've gone back and read both books again, and each is just as incredible as I remembered.
"Everville" moves the action from Palomo Grove, CA, to the titular town, in Oregon, opening with a sixty-page prologue that takes place in the mid-nineteenth century, describing the mystical origins of the town.
Tesla Bombeck is back, as is Grillo, though in a smaller role. Expanded is the part of Harry D'amour, who made a brief appearance in the first book, and was the main character in Barker's short story "The Last Illusion."
Tesla follows a lead on the possible whereabouts of Fletcher, a man she believed killed in the events of five years ago in Palomo Grove, to the town of Everville, where a door has been opened to Quiddity, the dream sea seen at the end of "The Great and Secret Show."
"Everville" is a top-of-the-line dark fantasy book that demonstrates well what Barker does best.
"Everville" moves the action from Palomo Grove, CA, to the titular town, in Oregon, opening with a sixty-page prologue that takes place in the mid-nineteenth century, describing the mystical origins of the town.
Tesla Bombeck is back, as is Grillo, though in a smaller role. Expanded is the part of Harry D'amour, who made a brief appearance in the first book, and was the main character in Barker's short story "The Last Illusion."
Tesla follows a lead on the possible whereabouts of Fletcher, a man she believed killed in the events of five years ago in Palomo Grove, to the town of Everville, where a door has been opened to Quiddity, the dream sea seen at the end of "The Great and Secret Show."
"Everville" is a top-of-the-line dark fantasy book that demonstrates well what Barker does best.
July 2, 2015
Can I give this 6 stars out of 5? No, really! I am blown away. I liked the first book in the series, The Great and Secret Show, but this one? Just astounding! This is horror. This is apocalyptic (or heading in that direction), but it is so much more. Even with his vivid and sometimes ahem, detailed descriptions, Clive Barker does NOT just go splatterpunk in this or any other.
This one is also an existential and philosophical novel (maybe that was repetitive). I fully love the characters of Grillo, Tesla, and D'Amour enough to worry about what happens to them and why. I love how fully drawn out even the evil characters are, all done so well and without apology or excuses. I cannot say enough about how excellent this series is and I cannot wait to move on to The Scarlet Gospels. Do yourself a favor and read Clive Barker. Even if horror is not your genre.....this man writes literature. Yes, I said it!
This one is also an existential and philosophical novel (maybe that was repetitive). I fully love the characters of Grillo, Tesla, and D'Amour enough to worry about what happens to them and why. I love how fully drawn out even the evil characters are, all done so well and without apology or excuses. I cannot say enough about how excellent this series is and I cannot wait to move on to The Scarlet Gospels. Do yourself a favor and read Clive Barker. Even if horror is not your genre.....this man writes literature. Yes, I said it!
November 20, 2017
I didn’t finish this. I read 200 pages of characters eating and screwing. After five pages about eating fish out of Quiddity just to reach another sex scene, I threw the book across the room. How many ways can Clive Barker describe a dick? I’m not sticking around to find out. I found all the characters unlikeable yet none of them disagreeable in any unique or compelling way. And the editor needed to circle the endless endless endless counts of being verbs in just that first 200 pages and suggest some active verbs. Clive Barker can write astounding tales of brutality and invention. I’ll move on to some of those. Yeah, this is a DNF, but I’m rating it because of the misery I went through just getting as far as I did.
Want to read
November 15, 2010This is my first Barker book! I'm soooo excited! It took some persuading, but me mom eventually agreed to let me buy it. I've read a total of 6 maybe 7 paragraphs so far, and it is GREAT! I feel hopeless already! (That's a good thing.)
And now, too much of a good thing can be bad. Clive Barker is damn creepy. I'm going to cool off with lighter, thinner reads.
And now, too much of a good thing can be bad. Clive Barker is damn creepy. I'm going to cool off with lighter, thinner reads.
October 10, 2014
I really did not enjoy this book. I groveled to myself thee entire way through...when is this going to end. I read it because it is Clive Barker and a sequel to The Great and Secret Show but not his best, perhaps worst, in fact, work yet.
January 23, 2022
It’s really a 2.5. But for purposes of this site, it gets rounded down. Call it a 2.49.
A too-long read, and if you asked me to describe the plot, I couldn’t do it. There are some good subplots, though, and maybe a compelling novel in there somewhere. So many sorta antagonists that are not memorable at all. A good origin story for a villain from Great and Secret Show, but not a worthy follow-up.
A too-long read, and if you asked me to describe the plot, I couldn’t do it. There are some good subplots, though, and maybe a compelling novel in there somewhere. So many sorta antagonists that are not memorable at all. A good origin story for a villain from Great and Secret Show, but not a worthy follow-up.
August 12, 2022
Review soon!
July 23, 2018
The world that Barker creates is so vivid you can feel the waters of Quiddity, the dream sea, lap against your toes, smell the stink of the Lix creatures as they try to destroy our heroine, and when you look up from the pages, you can't help but feel as if maybe demons really do walk among us.
There is so much that happens in this novel that a summary would do nothing except confuse and possibly spoil the story, so suffice it to say that if you love a good mix of horror and fantasy, Everville will take you on one hell of a ride.
My only issue is that there are so many characters, with rich full details, that the plot wasn't as tight as it could have been, and trying to recall the roles of each of the characters (who sometimes disappear for many chapters) was a big challenge. But that being said, I still enjoyed it immensely.
There is so much that happens in this novel that a summary would do nothing except confuse and possibly spoil the story, so suffice it to say that if you love a good mix of horror and fantasy, Everville will take you on one hell of a ride.
My only issue is that there are so many characters, with rich full details, that the plot wasn't as tight as it could have been, and trying to recall the roles of each of the characters (who sometimes disappear for many chapters) was a big challenge. But that being said, I still enjoyed it immensely.
April 13, 2013
When I first started reading this, I was annoyed that I couldn't remember the intricacies of the first book, but I soon found that you didn't need to have read the first to understand the second. Anything you needed to know, Barker gently reminds to of. So once I got into it, I really started to enjoy it.
The story starts of in the old west of America, with a group of pioneers struggling through winter in order to find a new home. One of their number has dreams of founding a great, shining city called Everville, but he is looked on with suspicion by the other travellers. On the side of a mountain, they stumble upon strange creatures who have come through a door from the dream world of the Metacosm and the sea of Quiddity.
Cut to a modern day, and Everville is a small, but thriving town...and it is festival weekend. But there was always a plan for it, and forces start to converge to be there for the end. Tesla, heroine of the first book, carrying the soul of Raul within her, stumbles into town; Kissoon, crazy magician and seeker of the Art, starts a killing spree across the USA; The Death-boy rises from the Dead to seek his sister; Buddenbaum, immortal storyteller, has his own plans for the town; Pheobe, dragged into the whole thing; Joe, her lover, accidentally travelling through the door. Because the Door is still open and the Iad are coming through to destroy our world.
Fast paced and a good read. There are quite a lot of characters to keep tabs on, but the story keeps you motoring along to the end. The ending was the only really disappointing thing about the book - I'm not sure if the author has left it open for another novel, or whether you're supposed to be thinking about your own answers, but I felt that it did the characters little justice. Still, if another one is written, I will definitely be reading it.
The story starts of in the old west of America, with a group of pioneers struggling through winter in order to find a new home. One of their number has dreams of founding a great, shining city called Everville, but he is looked on with suspicion by the other travellers. On the side of a mountain, they stumble upon strange creatures who have come through a door from the dream world of the Metacosm and the sea of Quiddity.
Cut to a modern day, and Everville is a small, but thriving town...and it is festival weekend. But there was always a plan for it, and forces start to converge to be there for the end. Tesla, heroine of the first book, carrying the soul of Raul within her, stumbles into town; Kissoon, crazy magician and seeker of the Art, starts a killing spree across the USA; The Death-boy rises from the Dead to seek his sister; Buddenbaum, immortal storyteller, has his own plans for the town; Pheobe, dragged into the whole thing; Joe, her lover, accidentally travelling through the door. Because the Door is still open and the Iad are coming through to destroy our world.
Fast paced and a good read. There are quite a lot of characters to keep tabs on, but the story keeps you motoring along to the end. The ending was the only really disappointing thing about the book - I'm not sure if the author has left it open for another novel, or whether you're supposed to be thinking about your own answers, but I felt that it did the characters little justice. Still, if another one is written, I will definitely be reading it.
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