What did other people think about this book?

People who gave this book 1-star reviews on Goodreads say it’s boring, overly gross, and bloated. They didn’t like the characters and often compared this long novel to Barker’s previous Books of Blood stories, which are much shorter. The 2-star reviewers often acknowledged Barker’s literary talent but felt the overall execution fell flat. Some wrote that the horror scenes were not scary; they were graphically unsettling and disgusting — in other words, they think Barker went for shock over suspense. They struggled to care about the characters as well. For example, they wrote that the romance between Marty and Carys felt forced. They also noted that the book started promisingly but had a weak ending. Again, people here commented on how much better Barker’s shorter stories are. What about 3-star reviews? Well, they bring up similar issues but aren’t as bothered by them. Some pointed out how multilayered Mammoulian and Breer were compared to the rest of the characters (the heroes). The 4-star reviews praise the writing style for mixing body horror with beautiful prose while providing perspectives on power, greed, and human nature. Some mention the audiobook helped their experience. Ultimately, many of these reviewers admitted that the book could have been shorter and that the romance between the heroes felt rushed. 5-star reviews generally praise everything, but they must be right in at least one thing, which is calling the book a foundational classic of dark fantasy.

Photo of the book with two of the Books of Blood series behind it.

What do I think?

Now, I read this book after Weaveworld, Abarat 1–3, Mr. B Gone, Galilee, and the first two Books of Blood. So what can I say more than others have already said? Firstly, it took me a long time to finish this book. I must admit that for the last parts, from where Breer escapes from his bed, I listened to the audiobook rather than read the actual book, while cleaning the house. Altogether, my bookmark was in this book for over half a year, which means that I progressed very slowly. I enjoyed the first half of the book but then didn’t have the energy or motivation to carry on. I agree with critiques about the book being too long and the heroes being flatter than the two villains (Mammoulian and Breer). Personally, I didn’t like the disgusting parts, nor did I feel comfortable with the necrophilia and how Mammoulian allowed Breer to do what he did to very young people. Sometimes I wondered why I was reading these books. I did like Weaveworld and Abarat, – even though I don’t remember the first one much – but I’m not sure I want to think about feeling sorry for these two villains, especially if their victims are children. And I think that’s what Barker sometimes wants us to do: to sympathize with these villains. Even in Mr. B. Gone, I felt uneasy with Mr. B bathing in the blood of children. Can’t we draw a line somewhere on the spectrum of what is still forgivable?

Anyway, I think it’s Sacrament next on my list. Wish me luck!

Some Booknotes

p.74 Going to see Bella feels like the story with the men eating pig in Books of Blood 1.

p.333 Whitehead’s secret memory is disturbing and linked to necrophilia, but not fully perhaps since the hipless woman was not really dead, right?

Again, I am not sure about the value in these books. Why is it a good idea to expose ourselves to these monstrosities? There are enough of these nightmares around us e.g. as highlighted in the news. Do these stories help us understand why people become monsters in the real world? But could they also give ideas to people to become these monsters? Think about a mother sheltering her children behind a religion from philosophy (critical thinking) or the pig farmer girl milking hogs for social media in her very tight clothes.

p.378 To see Mammoulian as anything good is impossible for me since he allowed the Razor eater to be a pedophile. Or was he only eating people but not sexually molesting them?

There are card games here again, games.

Almost at the end. Is it time to stop reading about these fictional non-ordinary realities and instead explore the real hyperspace?