A review by theesotericcamel
The Street of Crocodiles and Other Stories by Bruno Schulz

4.0

Fans of weird fiction take note. What we have here is an ur-text on synaesthetic observations of the decrepit and ruined. Schulz' lens of focus tends to be, for the most part, his own hometown in Poland of Drohobyycz, between the two world wars. What is described in the book are a combination of fictional reminisces and surrealistic flashbacks of his life in this Polish town. The title story "Street of Crocodiles" is an exemplary story, one that was adapted by the Brothers Quay as a stop-motion masterpiece, of decadence and degradation. Of a neighbourhood that tried to emulate the American aesthetic, but not really able to afford its extravaganzas. The result is a cardboard facade of exaggerated indulgence. It's like reading an Old World version of Thomas Light, with a side of Franz Kafka. Especially when comparing this work to Ligotti's Teatro Grottesco's period of work. There is a lot of attention to the inner workings of the city, and how futile and corrupt they can be. Despite all this, there is a sense of sardonic humour throughout as well. Adela stands as a shimmering example of dominant femininity throughout the whole anthology. (This particular edition includes all of his written fiction, which seem to refer to each other constantly.) Adela, seems like a more affable and lenient version of Severin. Anyway, there is lots to like if you don't mind tangential flights of fancy, but appreciate extraordinary descriptions of the seemingly mundane. Especially when it comes to the Old World.