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A review by thebobsphere
Licorice by Bridget Penney
3.0
For some strange reason, reding Licorice reminded me of two films : Keith Fulton’s Lost in La Mancha , Daniel Myrick’s The Blair Witch Project and Spike Jonze’s Adaptation. Both are about the problems which occur when directing a film. Licorice’s loose plot also touches upon this aspect of filmaking.
The book is about a group of friends trying to film a documentary about a village legend but it doesn’t quite work out that way. Two of the cast members have a highly physical relationship and are ruining the film while another two are not on speaking terms. The protagonist’s are not so sure about the film’s subject and then the film world starts to merge with the real one, with scenes from horror films occurring during filming . By the end it all descends into chaos.
However as important as the plot is, Licorice’s real focus is the language. The book is a verbal waterfall. It’s a monologue but one stuffed with film techniques, rhetorical questions, obscure movie references. There’s a blink and you’ll miss it quality to the writing. Saying that, despite the confusion there is a playful aspect which makes this book quite an original read. It may not be for everyone but I can guarantee that reading Licorice was a one of a kind experience.
Many thanks to Book Works for providing a copy of Licorice.
The book is about a group of friends trying to film a documentary about a village legend but it doesn’t quite work out that way. Two of the cast members have a highly physical relationship and are ruining the film while another two are not on speaking terms. The protagonist’s are not so sure about the film’s subject and then the film world starts to merge with the real one, with scenes from horror films occurring during filming . By the end it all descends into chaos.
However as important as the plot is, Licorice’s real focus is the language. The book is a verbal waterfall. It’s a monologue but one stuffed with film techniques, rhetorical questions, obscure movie references. There’s a blink and you’ll miss it quality to the writing. Saying that, despite the confusion there is a playful aspect which makes this book quite an original read. It may not be for everyone but I can guarantee that reading Licorice was a one of a kind experience.
Many thanks to Book Works for providing a copy of Licorice.