This is one of those rare literary gems that I wanted to read again as soon as I had finished it. In short, it's a real literary masterpiece that certThis is one of those rare literary gems that I wanted to read again as soon as I had finished it. In short, it's a real literary masterpiece that certainly deserved the Nobel Prize.
Most people know little about what goes through the mind of a highly depressed or mentally sick person. I believe that "The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick" by Peter Handke masterfully illuminates this complex psychological disorder.
This novella should be read in small segments, no more than one hour per day, so the reader could gain the full benefits of it. This is not an ordinary prose where each chapter brings something new in terms of plot enrichment and character development. It should be read as an essay, even prose poetry, slowly and with concentration.
The tone of the story and its main character, a former football (soccer) goalie named Joseph Bloch, remain the same throughout the book. Only the background scenes seem to be different, yet quite similar - taverns, hotels, uneventful daily routines (eating, reading newspaper, chatting, using public transportation, etc).
As for the book's writing style, it seems to be purposefully colloquial, almost banal. Its overall tone is flat, unaffectionate, and detached, and, as such, not attractive to readers. However, that's the beauty of this literary masterpiece! The topic of this novel is very serious (mental illness), and it requires an appropriate style devoid of any literary embellishments or elegant poeticism in language.
It's interesting to me how the author effectively uses the verbs to invigorate the narrative. Even though the story appears almost plotless and, as such, should bring boredom to its readers, it's surprising how lively it actually looks. This is achieved by the author's persistent use of the action verbs in almost every sentence.
The author doesn't directly dissect the protagonist's thoughts. The protagonist's innermost self is revealed by the author's skillful attempts to register all of his external gestures or movements. Also, any sensory stimuli, regardless of their (in)significance, which elicit a response from the protagonist, are rendered in their naked form. These outward triggers are manyfold: a fly on the faucet, a crumpled piece of paper on the floor, sounds in the bar, light, heat, etc. All of it is faithfully brought to life as if recorded through the impersonal camera lenses.
Yes, a murder is committed by Joseph Bloch, but this novella is not a murder mystery. In fact, it’s author's bold attempt to bring to life the misery and darkness inflicted on this depressed individual whose brain has difficulty in receiving, processing, and responding to information that comes in through his senses.
To amplify the protagonist's feelings of detachment and alienation, the author uses strong sensory imagery: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. The emphasis is not given to human interaction, as one may expect. In fact, meaningful interaction between the protagonist and his social environment is completely broken.
We expect Joseph Bloch to be captured by the police or locked up in a mental institution by the end of the book. (Note: this notion is more implied than directly expressed by the narrator.) However, it doesn't happen.
The ending is quite anticlimactic. It is marked by the scenes detailing the actual football match with a penalty kick as its culmination. The protagonist's fixation on the penalty taker and the goalie's reaction to the shot is, in fact, a metaphor of the protagonist's anxieties exhibited throughout the book. Just as the ball has crossed the goal line, so too Joseph has passed a point-of-no-return. In short, his detour from the blurred reality to the total darkness has finally come to a full fruition....more
Holy Smoke! A very good novel by Patricia Hart. Since A Dark Place is Patricia's debut novel her achievement appears even greater.
We are immediately Holy Smoke! A very good novel by Patricia Hart. Since A Dark Place is Patricia's debut novel her achievement appears even greater.
We are immediately drawn to the story, and our attention doesn't ease up until the very end. The characterisation is masterfully done and the supporting characters are well integrated, which is a rare achievements in today's popular novels.
No doubt, this psychological thriller will shake you to the very core and you feel disgusted at the deprivity of human race. In fact, most of us will behave exactly as the residents of Meadow Road due to our ignorance, opportunism, or lack of courage. During WWII most of the Germans knew what was going on during the Nazi regime yet they pretended that everything was OK. Even today the war in Yemen kills thousands of children every day and the rest of the world doesn't care. In short, we are all the residents of the Dark Place (the guilty ones) hidden in our private fortresses far away from Christian Shaffner, the main hero of the novel.
Even though there are some elements of horror genre in it, this is not a typical horror novel. It's a crime thriller, a murder mystery and family drama at the same time. The first part of the novel is focused mostly on Christian Shaffner, the newest tenant at 22 Meadow Road. Christian is taken aback by the ominous vibe surrounding this place. Its tenants are acting strangely and Christian feels they are hiding something from him. The more Christian gets involved with his neighbors the closer he is to solving the mystery. When the web of conspiracy of silence is finally broken and the terrible truth reveiled, Christian is facing a moral dilemma: will he succumb to the cowardice and guilt , like his neighbors, or take a risk and fight the evil?
Readers are presented with multiple points of views and each character sheds a different light on the conflict in the story. This makes the story richer and more powerful .
Patricia Hart is brave enough not to follow the classic formula of a crime fiction where the villain is revealed in the final stages of the novel and consecutively brought to justice. In fact, we know who the evil- doer is long before the novel's final ending. Yet we are still captivated by the strength of its narration and the multiple arguments presented along the way. This is not an easy task and only great masters of literary fiction can pull it off.
The narration is gradually shifted from the main protagonist (Christian Shaffner) in the first part of the novel to the antagonist (Derek Dagger) in the second half. Also, a number of supporting characters are given prominent roles . They are: Angelica Kline, Kyle Benton, Eileen (prostitute), Hanna Carstens, Derek's wife - Clair; children Tanya and Maria, etc.
The central motifs exhibited in the novel are as follows: extra- marital affairs and its devastating consequences. For example, Angelica Kline has a husband and two secret lovers. One of her lovers is her half-brother Derek Dagger, a psychopat and murderer. Also, the family violence, child abuse, and prostitution are prominently displayed.
Patricia Hart's writing is very simple, but quite effective. The novel is short, but compact and smartly edited.
Her prose is devoid of any unnecessary embellishments, excessive lirism, and burdensome descriptions. It seems to explode with the dramatic tensions exhibited in each sentence, particularly in the dialogues between the protagonists. Also, a variety of literary techniques are utilized such as confessions, news reports, observations, extracts from the police interrogation protocol, etc.
In short, this is a dark novel indeed but very well done. Highly recommend.
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