Mule Skinner Book recommendation # 21

Bellefleur

(by Joyce Carol Oates)

(p. 1980, 592 pages.)

[Recommendation 11/2009]

It sometimes feels like our recommendation texts would go in pairs. So because, often the next would seem to bop up as direct following to the preceding (not necessarily published here in that order and not always so). This time the book actually appeared as the second choice, first alternative would have been something from C.L.Moore (1911-1987), a writer mentioned in the earlier review (#19) from (Hainings) collection of Weird Tales stories. However, the MSW's poor library collections wouldn't have even a worn-out pocket edition from her writings (though, she only wrote one novel in addition to short-stories) and we, in spite of our reservations had to this time make selection this time from newer fiction.

Bellefleur then, not too obviously fits for horror fiction genre (I don't know actually which would be the most appropriate 'categorization'), but our interest on the book derived from it being mentioned within the new gothic fiction revival of the late of 20^th century(1990s). Seems little confusing since it merely feels that the book only little plays with those terrifying and supernatural elements. Another thing, that I find a little disturbing in this connection, is the novelty of the book. But, as that horror-genre was actually a little off-shoot in our reviews, and mostly a literature we're not too much familiar with, I guess it doesn't yet present too much a popular fiction.

But, just because I'm not too keen on the past or more recent gothic fiction, it also makes this a bit more random selection. Wuthering Heights (1847) - book I find at least as much early gothic as Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) – would have been a likely choice, but since the latter mentioned we've reviewed here, the former we must therefore omit for the reason not solely favoring those 19^th century classics. (Although, the atmosphere and style of that novel would have made it a good selection on this basis. Matter of taste of course, and on the other hand the book probably wasn't that renown preceding several 20^th century films made on the basis of it. But in this instance I cannot avoid having the feeling that the romantic novel mentioned, as well as the 'myth' from its authors(Emily Bronte, 1818-1848) death, likely contain as much gothic element, that can be described with those Baudelairean terms (ennui, spleen, decadence) and more often enclosed within her contemporary authors, E.A.Poe (1809-1849) the most celebrated usually.) Of course, Wuthering Heights also is very good novel (at least for those who like romantic stories.)

On the other hand then, the selected book isn't at all such 'romantic gothic'. Apparently the gothic revival (in books, films, comics, etc) has since 1980s been having some raise, as it more or less repeatedly seems to do (earlier fx 1920s, -40s); a some years ago seemed that gothic stamp would have been stamped on everything containing something related to horror-sex-violence. Usually also a good enough reason to avoid most of it, but since the Bellefleur has often been connected to the early beginnings of that revival, it was selected here. Obviously, book is also historical fiction - it tells an imaginative family story from late 18^th century to mid 20^th, exact years/dates given, though - and so I kind of feel it comparable to some other similarly historical blockbuster novels from 1970s/80s (not that I would have read many of those). On the other hand – and quite the contrary to most of those novels – Bellefleur actually gives impression from presenting an opposite 'reflections' from such typical popular historical novels and stories. It's logic appears intentionally quite shattered, and not too much follows typical paths of the plot in those. Also the characters leave the impression from being ironic exaggerations from more traditional 'heroines and heroes'. If it would present 'truely' historical novel (obviously, isn't of course) the book would appear too devoted for that characterization and personnel gallery of the Bellefleur family. For classification for a horrondous novel that often referred 'Curse of Bellefleur' gives some argument on behalf, but those few unnatural horrific elements are only there for the decoration. And as a family story, it's all too unconventional to make the book enjoyable easy reading; the structure splintered for the separate chapters, that aren't too tied with each other.

Nevertheless, it seems quite credible in many ways within that historical sense. (Or from our views to those early times, it seems likely that the boys probably were a lot like in this saga; drunkards, passionate, despotic, indecent, conceited, egocentric, violent, etc, etc. Quite the opposite, the girls are then presented with less detail, actually they much less appear in any main roles. Actually there isn't, not even Leah and her husband actually present such characters. But the book nevertheless bears its own logic, all the until inevitable ending. Doesn't make the book any less good, but perhaps we hoped a little more romantic characters... obviously only, in that case, we wouldn't even have found it appropriate for this series.) From that reason, it also is (for us) rather difficult to place it for any from our 'safe genres', as usually presented in these recommendations - in this case to family fiction or traditional historics. In addition to previously mentioned little usual and perhaps uninterestingly realistic characters, there's then also other especially 19^th centurian personnel/characters that are more interesting (/appear more versatile in the historical sense); the hermit, the patron, the poet, fx. And I guess, we'll have to here, in spite of these occasional reservations presented, 'categorize' it for the historical fiction, even if that imaginous realistic-fantastic element exists somewhere, at least under its main tones.

Only that it's quite questionable if this kind of genre – historical novel - even anymore exists in nowadays literature, and it's probably quite a difficult task to write an interesting book in its genre. Bellefleur more than well succeeds in that mentioned task, even though it still appears too modern for my own tastes. Not the less irritating I find the way all this presented with this technique of stream-of-conciousness narration, since I'm not a big fan of that kind literature, but more usually in favor of the traditional prose. Anyway, that kind narration book much uses in spite of my personal preferences. (Even though) I also think book would have been better some hundred of pages briefer. Not having read any other from Oates novels (she has quite a catalogue of published works), so I can't quite compare it for any from those (book is said to present only first novel in gothic serie). But perhaps those dramatic elements have made it for filming too, although ourselves we find merely the mixture of that historism with the 'fantastic/realistic' characters as main reasons for recommend the book.

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