BOOK 251: LAPVONA: OTTESSA MOSHFEGH
BOOK 251: LAPVONA: OTTESSA MOSHFEGH
In a village in a medieval fiefdom buffeted by natural disasters, a motherless shepherd boy finds himself the unlikely pivot of a power struggle that puts all manner of faith to a savage test, in a spellbinding novel that represents Ottessa Moshfegh’s most exciting leap yet
Little Marek, the abused and delusional son of the village shepherd, never knew his mother; his father told him she died in childbirth. One of life’s few consolations for Marek is his enduring bond with the blind village midwife, Ina, who suckled him as a baby, as she did so many of the village’s children. Ina’s gifts extend beyond childcare: she possesses a unique ability to communicate with the natural world. Her gift often brings her the transmission of sacred knowledge on levels far beyond those available to other villagers, however religious they might be. For some people, Ina’s home in the woods outside of the village is a place to fear and to avoid, a godless place.
Among their number is Father Barnabas, the town priest and lackey for the depraved lord and governor, Villiam, whose hilltop manor contains a secret embarrassment of riches. The people’s desperate need to believe that there are powers that be who have their best interests at heart is put to a cruel test by Villiam and the priest, especially in this year of record drought and famine. But when fate brings Marek into violent proximity to the lord’s family, new and occult forces upset the old order. By year’s end, the veil between blindness and sight, life and death, the natural world and the spirit world, civility and savagery, will prove to be very thin indeed.
(From Goodreads)
MY VERDICT: I went into this book knowing nothing about it, which made the experience all the more interesting. I was initially struck by its antiquated style of writing, something I particularly enjoyed, as I have a fondness for older books and the way they are written.
The writing is vivid, blending the graphic and the grotesque with elements of magic in a way that felt both unsettling and compelling. It won't appeal to everyone, but the quality of the prose is undeniable. The author's descriptions are so evocative that you can almost smell the surroundings and feel the grime and stickiness of the world they've created.
The ending was surprising, though not in a disappointing way. Throughout the novel, it was impossible to predict where the story was heading, which made the conclusion satisfying.
While I enjoyed the book, I would hesitate to recommend it broadly. Some readers may find its more disturbing aspects offensive or difficult to stomach. Nevertheless, it's a memorable and skilfully written work that has stayed with me since finishing it.
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