Heartsnatcher

Terrificante - amarissima proprio perché ironica - descrizione di una maternità / paternità indesiderate e, in generale, di un senso di spaesamento.

bizarre.

I think it's better not to try and explain this novel at all...all I'll say is that it seems to be dealing with the concept of guilt, but mostly what one will remember is the Old Folks' Fair (auction of old people for buyers' personal abuse), Glory Hallelujah who takes upon himself all of the shame of the villagers in exchange for gold that he is not permitted to spend, blue slugs that make you fly, and psychoanalysis equalling doggy-style sex.

very funny. very weird. Even Vian's life is funny...I laughed reading the "About the Author" in the back of the book..let me share:

"In 1959, Vian was involved in a project to adapt the novel [I Spit on Your Graves] into a movie, until a series of artistic differences led to his removal show more from the project. Tragically, Boris Vian attended the movie's premiere, where he reportedly stood up during the opening scenes and yelled, 'These guys are supposed to be American? My ass!" just before dying of a heart attack." show less

I'm being generous in giving this 3 stars. Parts of it were good, but the whole? Not so much.
Apparently when this was first published in 1953 it got such a non-response that poor Boris stopped writing novels. Well, I have to say, I have to agree with those "silent" critics.
The problem is that this book has something to say but it isn't quite sure how to say it, and then when it does say it, it's just banal (if you try to protect your children too much, you just imprison them).
It's part fantasy, part children's story, part absurdist allegory, part jazzy beatnik wacky improv.
It just didn't have any flow, any structure. Queneau is much better at this sort of stuff.
(One wonders how much the translation matters here...Queneau as translated show more by Calvino is probably just going to be better by definition...) show less

This book blew me away, it was the first by Boris Vian I ever read and I was instantly hooked. There are some weird parts, some insane parts and some great metaphors. It sort ot follows a psyquiatrist visiting a new town and getting involved without wanting too. Some violent bits but if you think of what we actually do to ourselves it`s nothing. For some it will be too wird. I loved it.

This book is a romp (more so than a journey) by a psychiatrist into an eccentric village. Vian has a lot of put-downs, sarcastic at times, if you will, or the more popular culture, whether religion, or child rearing, or dealing with merchants. The plot doesn't always hang together well, but it is woth the effort to see how things work out (or don't work out).

Read in french when I was young and reread; quite a creative work and style, very original.

Violent, disturbing novel from the 1950s. Very surreal imagery. Interesting as an oddity--not a great novel by any means.