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And the Ass Saw the Angel by Nick Cave

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somebookspam's review

3.0

Sordid, with beautifully poetic language.

1.5 stars.

I expected big things from this book. I read Nick Cave's other novel 'The Death of Bunny Monroe' around two years ago, and really enjoyed it. I'd heard 'And the Ass Saw the Angel', his first work, was a lot better. And I don't know, maybe other people love it. I on the other hand really disliked it though.
There is no doubt that Nick Cave is a talented writer, and that this book is well-written. It was just the story for me that hit a nerve. I didn't like any of the characters (which makes it hard for me to warm to a text), and the whole story was far too muddled for me to ever become truly engaged in it. I wasn't really sure what the main plot line was, the narrative was so confusing. The addition of a Southern dialect didn't really help matters, particularly as Nick Cave is an Australian (which makes me think the dialect wasn't too realistic).
The novel definitely picked up towards the end. Did I understand it? No, but it was a lot more fast-paced than the rest of the book, and I began to finally properly pay attention to things.
The world depicted was really horrible though - it was not an uplifting book in the slightest, and in all honesty I was just desperate to get it finished so I could escape that world.
From what I can tell from other Goodreads reviews, this is a marmite book - you either love it or you hate it. So for that reason, I won't say don't check out this book. In fact, I'm planning on lending it to someone I work with who wants to read it. You might love it. It just sadly wasn't for me.

janwe's review against another edition

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2.0

WtF?

vickiireads's review against another edition

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4.0

And The Ass Saw The Angel is set in the town of Ukulore, located in filthiest southern U.S., during the time of the 1940s. The town is overrun with religious maniacs, whom Cave paints as malicious to the point of murderous absurdity, all in the name of unyielding faith. Extreme outcast and mute Euchrid Eucrow, whose willfully oblivious father is a mad product of inbreeding and whose mother is an alcoholic mess who frequently beats him, struggles through the death of his stillborn twin brother and later, a fixation on local prostitute Cosey Mo, who is the only member of the town to show him any manner of pity. Cosey Mo is brutally thrashed by the town's people and ostracized, after which she gives birth to a daughter whom the Ukulites believe is the future mother of the Messiah. But she finds Euchrid to be godlike, leading to further complications between the mass insanity and Euchrid. Believing to be on a divine mission, Euchrid creates his own personal domain called Doghead, where is insanity builds towards his ultimate revenge on all who have contributed to his tortuous existence.

Blend Cave's inimitable voice with Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and you are on the right track. Though it would repulse some, this is one stunning debut. Literate, disturbing, taboo, bizarre. There is no shortage of talent, debauchery or despair here.

hotrunes's review against another edition

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2.0

I'm a big fan of Cave's music, but his first novel didn't really work for me. It felt very over-inflated and has delusions of grandeur which it doesn't live up to. On the whole it was an interesting enough story but a lot of the time it felt like it was trying too hard to deliver a message, lost by over-indulgent descriptions of nothing in particular.

As a Nick Cave fan, it was pleasing enough and falls into line with his music, but scratching beneath the surface it leaves a lot to be desired.

classicsandromances's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

kirstiecat's review against another edition

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4.0

It's been a couple of years since I read this one but what I remember so much about it was it's rich storytelling and the way Nick Cave walks the line between experimental fiction with a first person character you can't trust perspective wise and the biblical nature of it. If it seems disjointed and confusing, it's only because it's density requires you to spend a great deal more time with it. I think Nick Cave has proved himself to be a tremendous lyricist and musician but I do also believe if he had devoted more of his time to the novel, he could become as accomplished as say Nabokov crossed with Thomas Pynchon...if that makes any sense?!?!