now gods, stand up for carnies

Maud has reviewed Will Elliot's terrific debut novel, The Pilo Family Circus, now published in the US by Underland Press, for NPR. (I reviewed it for the Australian Literary Review when it was published here, in the October issue in 2006.)

Maud's review is at NPR in the Books We Like segment.

She quotes from its introduction in which a 'literary bigtop master', Katherine Dunn, compares the book to 'Kafka, Chandler, Swift, Orwell, King and The Three Stooges.' There's an excerpt to read.

I called The Pilo Family Circus " a fiery allegory for our times, a Jungian dragonfest in which there is a kind of twisted honour amongst slaves, thieves and carnies." (Not online, unfortunately.) So I am mightily pleased to see it's being read by the haute bloggerie and hope it rises to attention elsewhere as well in the States, having attracted some strong notices in the UK on its publication there in 2007.

Elliot has written an essay for Largehearted Boy's Book Notes feature, too, and you can read it here. He has a memoir coming out with ABC books next week, and is currently at work on a fantasy project, The Pendulum Trilogy. I shall have to start a category called 'Go You Good Thing'.

Comments

[Ann oDyne]

Well I do have concern for Mr Elliott in having a debut novel so exciting. Where can he go from Chandler/Kafka/King but down? Hopefully reviewer Dunn intended to convey eclecticism, rather than convey 'as good as'

"That morning Grigor Samsa who was not himself mean, woke to find himself going down these mean streets past the hissing summer lawns, to the pet cemetery in his evil car Christine... "

(oh I do apologise)

[genevieve]

You joker, you. Get back in the pack now.

[LiteraryMinded]

Genevieve, I highly recommend 'Strange Places', Elliott's confronting memoir. I reviewed it for B+P so you'll probably catch that.

[genevieve]

Thanks, Angela, I will look out for that review with interest.