A review by chickflix
In a Shallow Grave by James Purdy
4.0
This book was like nothing I've read before.
It's character driven, centered around a disfigured soldier and his two hired servants, who form an intense codependency on one another. There's romance but it's not romantic. There's grotesque, body horror stuff but I wouldn't call it horror. There's supernatural stuff but it could also just be a series of coincidences. It's Southern Gothic at it's best.
It's also racist in a way that goes beyond what could've been brushed off as acceptable in the 1970's American South. It's the main reason why I can't give this 5 stars, and still feel guilty about giving it 4 stars. But it could be used as a jumping off point to have some great conversations in a book club or academic setting.
There's so much good stuff here that I've picked up one of the author's other books and plan to read it soon.
It's character driven, centered around a disfigured soldier and his two hired servants, who form an intense codependency on one another. There's romance but it's not romantic. There's grotesque, body horror stuff but I wouldn't call it horror. There's supernatural stuff but it could also just be a series of coincidences. It's Southern Gothic at it's best.
It's also racist in a way that goes beyond what could've been brushed off as acceptable in the 1970's American South. It's the main reason why I can't give this 5 stars, and still feel guilty about giving it 4 stars. But it could be used as a jumping off point to have some great conversations in a book club or academic setting.
There's so much good stuff here that I've picked up one of the author's other books and plan to read it soon.