A review by er50d
Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoy this series, having first read it as a teenager, but I can understand it's an acquired taste. I love the dark, gothic setting and the extraordinary, grotesque and twisted characters - but it's definitely not an easy read, and maybe not for you if you like books that have lots of action where good triumphs over evil in a predictable way. 

The prose is delicious (I also really enjoyed the audiobook this time) but it's more like an artwork in some ways than a typical novel. It feels more like an experience, where you're dropped in a detailed painting and it can feel like you're drowning in the weightiness of the description - as the characters are trapped by the weight of fate and tradition. 

If it's a book you enjoy it's one that will stay with you for years.