[books 2008] A Confederacy of Dunces

[inulro]

18. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

This month's bibliogoths selection. It turned out to be a love it or hate it number, with only myself sitting on the fence. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if there had only been half as much of it. Those who didn't like it agreed that it was very well written and that in fact was the problem - Toole so successfully presented a grotesque and repellent protagonist that some of our number had difficulty not throwing up on their fellow commuters while reading on public transport. There was general agreement that some of the other characters were likeable and funny, but disagreement over which those were.

Personally I just found it too grotesque to be funny, for the most part, but got the occasional giggle out of it. I have a big sense of humour failure when it comes to sloth. I also have deep personal reasons to object to people who use the power of medieval studies for evil.

I'm nearly tempted to read Boethius just to see how badly Ignatius got it all wrong.

(Apologies for yet another incoherent book review).

Comments

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

Weird. I'm very much on the love it side of the fence but then I do love a bit of the grotesque. :)

[quercus.livejournal.com]

I have the Boethius here (somewhere!) if you'd like to borrow, also his first novel, 'The Neon Bible'

The 'Ken and Thelma' biog isn't great, but the best there is. OTOH, 'Ignatius Rising' is ghastly hack writing.

[janinemarriott.livejournal.com]

I thought there was just the right amount of grotesque. We are a goth book club after all!