A review by laura_trap
The Willow King by Meelis Friedenthal

3.0

This was a solid book. It was an interesting story, in that it kept me moderately engaged and I was curious as to how the story was going to play out. But the entire story was anticlimactic which was disappointing. We have our main character, Laurentius, who has 'melancholia' or some sort of mental illness. He's manic and depressed and is convinced that he has the power of the evil eye, which is if he looks at someone in the eyes, they'll die or become ill. And as we go through the story, there are allusions to something awful that happened earlier in his childhood and some scandal when he studied in Lieden. None of these are fully fleshed out in the story. The action is in spurts doesn't lead to anything one climatic moment in particular and the book just putters out and ends. There wasn't a solution, but then again there wasn't really a conflict to be solved anyway, other than Laurentius knowing he is sick and unable to make himself better. There is also Clodia, a woman he meets and gives him food, but it is also uncertain, even up to the conclusion, if she is real or a hallucination on his part. Overall, just a solid book. I did appreciate the the detail historical accuracy which did a great deal to set the tone for the book and a perfect setting for the uneasiness of both our narrator and his place of residence.