July 1st, 2007
I generally try not to froth on and on about stuff, but I feel compelled to encourage you once again to consider reading this book:
I want to say that you won’t be sorry if you do, but honestly, I’m pretty sure this book isn’t for everyone. As I said, it’s hard. Even if you just read for the story and go no deeper, you’ll be fighting your way through the language all the way. Here’s my favourite sample of the hard writing: “They all ready ben Shorsday Week which they revver newit the fraction for the Ram.” By the time you hit this, you’ll have enough of a sense of the book to puzzle most of it out – but you can see this is no fluffy beach read. Hoban himself provides a translation in my edition: “They had already been here in the week of the shortest day of the year when they raised the tax to be paid to the Ram.” The word ‘revenue’ has been broken down into ‘revver new’ and is used here as a transitive verb. The Ram has revved up the tax engine to demand a new tax.
And here’s a sample of how beautiful it can be: That thing “whats in us lorn and loan and oansome” is forlorn, alone, and all on its lonesome own. Lorn and loan and oansome… that really speaks to me. I like to say it and just enjoy how it rolls off the tongue. The book is full of these gems.
I think Riddley Walker will be amazing for the right kind of person. If you don’t like to be challenged by your book, you could very well hate it as perverse and contrary. But you could also have an experience like I did, where you come away feeling rejuvenated by something precious.