The Onion Eaters

Clayton Claw Cleaver Clementine, direct descendant of Clementine of the Three Glands, arrives in Ireland from America after inheriting his rapidly deteriorating ancestral castle. Within hours he is invaded by an unruly and impoverished, yet entertaining, group of uninvited guests that show no intention of leaving as long as the stores continue flowing from the wine cellar and kitchen. Among them are a group of itinerant pseudo-scientists bearing highly poisonous mambas.

One mark of The Onion Eaters, as in many of Donleavy’s books, is the sex. Almost everyone appears to be involved – early and often. Unless they’re being denied sex in some bizarre fashion. Clementine is often called away from an amorous encounter for some emergency, show more only to find a substitute has replaced him. And the sex is always leavened by humor – not to be taken too seriously.

Some characters appear to have anagrammatic names. The head pseudo-scientist responsible for releasing deadly mambas in the countryside is called Erconwald (crawled on), while one of his more sexually active hangers on is Rose (sore).
Another character, Lead Kindly Light - constantly rutting yet intolerant of the sexual activities of all others, appears to be named after an 1833 Christian hymn.

Donleavy has a poetic, instantly identifiable prose style. The story – like the castle itself – never allows a dull moment. show less

The Gormenghast of the Third Policeman. Some wonderful writing here and eminently quotable, but it does ramble on a bit, the plot never really develops or is resolved. In the end I couldn't quite come to love it.

Unremittingly louche. Dazzlingly Rabelaisian. SEVEN STARS.