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A review by kate66
Possessed: The Secret of Myslotch: A Gothic Novel by Witold Gombrowicz
4.0
A very strange tale from Witold Gombrowicz. I, like many others, have a penchant for Fitzcarraldo publications because they are rarely boring. In Possessed we have another odd tale from Eastern Europe.
Walczak/Lesczuk (he changes his name few chapters in) has been employed as a tennis coach for rising young star, Maja Ocholowska. Unfortunately the two seem to have a very strange effect on each other from the first time they meet, much to the disgust of Maja's fiance, Cholawicki (secretary to the Prince of Myslocz Castle). The strange relationship continues as both Maja and Lesczuk are drawn to the strange happenings at the castle where the Prince is going mad and Cholawicki is making it worse.
As the story continues we discover that the prince's insanity began when his son, Franio, died in the old kitchen. This old kitchen is somewhere all fear to go because of the effects of the haunted dish towel. Yes, I said dish towel. I told you it was strange.
The story then follows the odd affair between Maja and Lesczuk who seem to both attract and repel each other equally. It is only on their return to the castle that the difficulties can be resolved. But are either of them brave enough to face the spooky tea towel.
Yes it is all very tongue in cheek. All the relationships are very peculiar but the book pulls you along I an almost hypnotic trance. You spend a lot of time wondering what it all means and who Franio really is and why the Prince is so crazy.
I thoroughly enjoyed the craziness and the writing is wonderful. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is a Fitzcarraldo devotee or if you simply would like to read something that is way off the beaten track of normal literature.
Thanks to Netgalley and Fitzcarraldo for the advance copy.
Walczak/Lesczuk (he changes his name few chapters in) has been employed as a tennis coach for rising young star, Maja Ocholowska. Unfortunately the two seem to have a very strange effect on each other from the first time they meet, much to the disgust of Maja's fiance, Cholawicki (secretary to the Prince of Myslocz Castle). The strange relationship continues as both Maja and Lesczuk are drawn to the strange happenings at the castle where the Prince is going mad and Cholawicki is making it worse.
As the story continues we discover that the prince's insanity began when his son, Franio, died in the old kitchen. This old kitchen is somewhere all fear to go because of the effects of the haunted dish towel. Yes, I said dish towel. I told you it was strange.
The story then follows the odd affair between Maja and Lesczuk who seem to both attract and repel each other equally. It is only on their return to the castle that the difficulties can be resolved. But are either of them brave enough to face the spooky tea towel.
Yes it is all very tongue in cheek. All the relationships are very peculiar but the book pulls you along I an almost hypnotic trance. You spend a lot of time wondering what it all means and who Franio really is and why the Prince is so crazy.
I thoroughly enjoyed the craziness and the writing is wonderful. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is a Fitzcarraldo devotee or if you simply would like to read something that is way off the beaten track of normal literature.
Thanks to Netgalley and Fitzcarraldo for the advance copy.