Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Dalkey Archive (2003), Edition: 1, Paperback, 245 pages
Description
Set in a bizarre and slightly sinister town where the elderly are auctioned off at an Old Folks Fair, the townspeople assail the priest in hopes of making it rain, and the official town scapegoat bears the shame of the citizens by fishing junk out of the river with his teeth. Heartsnatcher is Boris Vian's most playful and most serious work. The main character is Clementine, a mother who punishes her husband for causing her the excruciating pain of giving birth to three babies. As they age, she becomes increasingly obsessed with protecting them, going so far as to build an invisible wall around their property.
User reviews
LibraryThing member rapunzelrapunzel
Violent, disturbing novel from the 1950s. Very surreal imagery. Interesting as an oddity--not a great novel by any means.
LibraryThing member araridan
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
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 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."
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
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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 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."
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LibraryThing member vpfluke
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
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woth the effort to see how things work out (or don't work out). Show Less
LibraryThing member babzie
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
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of what we actually do to ourselves it`s nothing. For some it will be too wird. I loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member donato
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
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 by Calvino is probably just going to be better by definition...)
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
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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 by Calvino is probably just going to be better by definition...)
Show Less
Language
Original publication date
1953 (original French)
1962 (English translation)
Physical description
245 p.; 8 inches
ISBN
1564782999 / 9781564782991
Other editions
Heartsnatcher by Boris Vian (Paperback)