811. The Melancholy of Resistance

The Melancholy of Resistance
Laszlo Krasznahorkai
1989

Around 385 pages

The Melancholy of Resistance sounds like it is going to be a very depressing novel about Nazi occupied Hungary. Much to my surprise, it's actually about a circus which boasts a giant stuffed whale. The List always keeps you on your toes!

Word spreads in the small Hungarian village that the circus folk have a sinister purpose in mind. We get a fair amount of memorable characters, including the evil Mrs. Eszter and her weak husband; and of course our hero, Valuska, who is pretty much the only noble person around.

We only have had one previous Hungarian entry on this List, so it's nice to drop by this country. Krasznahorkai creates a very eerie setting and story. I suspect Bulgakov would be proud. But it's still set up as a rather grueling read, with periods of long, unbroken text.

So a good read if you want to pick up something otherworldly.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Krasznahorkai adapted the novel into a screenplay for the 2000 film Werckmeister Harmonies, directed by Béla Tarr.

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