The Gormenghast Novels

FALSE

I tried to like this but his prose is too archaic, his characters too obnoxious, and after so many pages I have no idea what's the point of the story. I'm out

‘‘{...}what haunts the heart will, when it is found, leap foremost, blinding the eye and leaving the main of Life in darkness.”“{...}

A beautiful example of the Fantasy genre done right. Mervyn Peake built a realistic world, full of evil, gentle, quirky, fascinating, unforgettable characters. The brightest of them all is Steerpike (the protagonist in Titus Groan and Gormenghast. A deliciously evil mastermind we love to hate. Also, the tragic character of Fuchsia will break your heart. In my opinion, the third novel of the trilogy Titus Alone wasn't as interesting as its two predecessors, but overall, this is an iconic work in British Literature.

The 2000 BBC adaptation, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Christopher Lee and Ian Richardson among others, combines the first two installments in a brilliant way. It is highly recommended.

“If ever he had harboured a conscience in his tough narrow breast he had by now dug out and flung away the awkward thing - flung it so far away that were he ever to need it again he could never find it.”