Story proves to be ungratifying
Andrew Hackman
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
He is involved with a detective war between an almost mythical Inspector Fields and the villainous Drood, but rarely becomes involved for long. He is supposed to be our vantage into the story, but as a reader it is almost impossible to sympathize with him; Collins is a selfish, arrogant, spoiled misogynist, addicted to opium, and hopelessly jealous of his friend Dickens.
Simmons' use of Collins as the voice of the story is a fascinating choice, despite its pitfalls.
The whole lurid tale of drugs, murder, cults and conspiracies becomes all the more powerful when filtered through the mind of somebody as paranoid and obsessed as Collins.
His actions trace the outline of a much larger story and his complete faith in himself is eventually overwhelming.
It is impossible to ignore an unreliable narrator when his voice is all you can hear in your head.
"Drood" is a difficult book to recommend.
Not too many people will be willing to journey through a story this long for the underwhelming payoff. It is a book all about the journey, not the destination.
Anybody reading "Drood" should approach it in the proper manner. It isn't a book that can be rushed through. It will reveal itself at its own pace no matter any desires to the contrary.
The story is long and twisting. If and when you reach the back cover, you will swear you've read at least two books. The characters are painstakingly described, no matter how minute.
The atmosphere is brilliantly researched and detailed. The descriptions of 19th-century London will make anybody wretch. At the very least, that is something this book will give you that can't be forgotten.
Simmons' use of Collins as the voice of the story is a fascinating choice, despite its pitfalls.
The whole lurid tale of drugs, murder, cults and conspiracies becomes all the more powerful when filtered through the mind of somebody as paranoid and obsessed as Collins.
His actions trace the outline of a much larger story and his complete faith in himself is eventually overwhelming.
It is impossible to ignore an unreliable narrator when his voice is all you can hear in your head.
"Drood" is a difficult book to recommend.
Not too many people will be willing to journey through a story this long for the underwhelming payoff. It is a book all about the journey, not the destination.
Anybody reading "Drood" should approach it in the proper manner. It isn't a book that can be rushed through. It will reveal itself at its own pace no matter any desires to the contrary.
The story is long and twisting. If and when you reach the back cover, you will swear you've read at least two books. The characters are painstakingly described, no matter how minute.
The atmosphere is brilliantly researched and detailed. The descriptions of 19th-century London will make anybody wretch. At the very least, that is something this book will give you that can't be forgotten.
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