In this ambiguously supernatural epistolatory novel, a soldier in an unstated war (but I'm guessing Vietnam) is thrown into solitary for attacking his CO. The circumstances of the attack are peculiar, and the soldier is recategorized as a psych case. About half the novel consists of letters between military psychologists who are treating/investigating him, and the other half is the soldier's autobiography, written in third person on the suggestion of the psychologist.
The soldier, who calls himself George Smith, had a nasty, brutish, and short childhood with an abused sickly mother and an abusive alcoholic father; when he's sent to a juvenile home, it's a huge step up. His sole interest in life is hunting, which he describes in obsessive detail (so warning for non-sadistic animal harm). His account has subtle lacunae, which are picked up on by the psychologist. This was written in 1961, so the psychology is unsurprisingly Freudian.
I'll spoiler-cut just in case, though the blurb gives it away and early events very strongly suggest it. ( Read more... )
Recced by![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
scioscribe as an example of "is it SFF or not?" I'd never heard of it before and hadn't realized Sturgeon has written anything other than SF. It's an odd, intriguing book with an excellent final line.
Content notes: Graphic domestic violence, lots of hunting-related animal harm, non-graphic rape, child death.
Currently $1.99 on Kindle
The soldier, who calls himself George Smith, had a nasty, brutish, and short childhood with an abused sickly mother and an abusive alcoholic father; when he's sent to a juvenile home, it's a huge step up. His sole interest in life is hunting, which he describes in obsessive detail (so warning for non-sadistic animal harm). His account has subtle lacunae, which are picked up on by the psychologist. This was written in 1961, so the psychology is unsurprisingly Freudian.
I'll spoiler-cut just in case, though the blurb gives it away and early events very strongly suggest it. ( Read more... )
Recced by
scioscribe as an example of "is it SFF or not?" I'd never heard of it before and hadn't realized Sturgeon has written anything other than SF. It's an odd, intriguing book with an excellent final line.Content notes: Graphic domestic violence, lots of hunting-related animal harm, non-graphic rape, child death.
Currently $1.99 on Kindle
