A review by clayjs
Down There (La-Bas) by Joris-Karl Huysmans

4.0

The other book by the guy whose best-known novel inspired Wilde's [b:The Picture of Dorian Gray|5297|The Picture of Dorian Gray|Oscar Wilde|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424596966s/5297.jpg|1858012] is, for my money, a much more successful novel than [b:À rebours|1312641|À rebours|Joris-Karl Huysmans|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358735926s/1312641.jpg|306152], and a much more honest depiction of the mindset of the Fin-de-Siecle. It's hard to say so after reading the black mass scene and the depictions of the crimes of Gilles de Rais, but this isn't just a sensationalized shocker; it's also the touching story of a young food-loving French author discovering he isn't as hardcore as he thought he was. Come for the bittersweet conversations about the death of the art of sacred bell wringing, stick around for a graphic description of someone pooping in someone else's disemboweled torso. Surprisingly lovable!