These Duncton books reach a new low in Duncton Rising
. Since Horwood clearly didn't take the trouble to write anything worth reading, I shall not take the trouble to complete a full review. I will merely point out the following: these books are not, under any circumstances, for children. I worry that the tagline comparing them with Watership Down will cause younger readers to pick them up.Here are the reasons they shouldn't:
Overt torture scenes.
Explicit mole sex scenes.
At least two instances of rape, one involving a father towards his son.
Disgustingly brutal fight scenes.
A couple of really obscene death scenes.
Avoid. Please.
Unfortunately I can't agree with the reviewer about the quality of this book. "Duncton Rising" is written elegantly and with marvellous detail which creates a picture of an intense and vibrant society. It was never intended to be a children's book, despite the tagline put in by the publishers and it certainly contains adult material but that's because it's an adult book. Horwood is renowned for his powerful,descriptive passages and these include both pleasant and unpleasant images. He is not afraid to shake our perceptions and I always come away from his books invigorated and challenged.
ReplyDeleteRead and enjoy!