378. Nightwood

Nightwood
Djuna Barnes
1936
Around 180 pages

How exciting to get a queer novel from the 1930s. Unfortunately, it wasn't my cup of tea, so it looks like I will have to wait until Sarah Waters to get my lesbian fiction fix. 

Robin Vote marries Felix Volkbien, who is pretending to be a gentile Baron. They marry and have a special needs son, and Robin realizes this is not the life she wants to lead. Understandable, but Robin is not the stuff heroes are made of. She meets and falls in love with Nora Flood at a circus.

This is a very chaotic novel, which I suppose appeals to some people, but for me, it was a bit too all over the place. Nobody is behaving how you would expect them, which lends a dreamlike quality to the story. 

So if you are looking for something trippy, you'll enjoy this. But for me, the unbelievability of the characters kind of dilutes the emotional impact.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

T.S. Eliot edited the novel.

William S. Burroughs called the novel "one of the great books of the twentieth century."  Stop liking things I like, weirdo.

UP NEXT: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft. Here we go with this idiot.