An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England by Brock Clarke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This reviewer had never read or heard of Brock Clarke before reading this book. Apparently he has contributed to several magazines and written three novels.
In this novel the narrator accidentally burns down Emily Dickinson’s house at the age of 18 while unwittingly killing two people in the process. He spends 10 years in prison and when he gets out his parents send him off to college. From there he manages to build a nice suburban life for himself with a good job, wonderful wife and kids and a home in a suburb called Camelot.
Then several famous authors’ homes in New England start going up in smoke and our narrator is forced into the position of ersatz detective, trying to figure out who the arsonist is in order to clear his own name.
This book is about many things. Yes it’s about stories of arson, yet it is also about so much more. It’s a story of a man searching for his true self. It’s a story about a man who discovers family secrets that were hidden from him all of his life. It’s an homage to books and literature. It’s a criticism of readers who take themselves and their books too seriously. And of course it’s about fire. Lots and lots of fire.
The author has a very dark sense of humor and this is a great benefit to the reader. The narration is delightfully sprinkled with aphorisms that are both unique and humorous.
There are some very subtle self effacing jabs in here as well. At one point the main character, Sam Pulsifer, is browsing in a big box book store looking for a book (or more appropriately the reason for books) and runs across a title that the author has previously written. After a brief flip through the pages Sam re-shelves the books in disinterest. Brilliant.
Here’s another piece of strange: He pokes fun more than once at reader’s groups and discussions. And what do you find at the end of the book? One of those appendices that lists suggested questions for reader’s group discussions. Funny.
Also, after the main feature, there is a “discussion with the author.” Yet this is different from any of the others you have read at the end of a book. In the discussion the story’s main character (Sam) interviews Mr. Clarke. (Make sure you don’t miss this, ereaders!)
My only complaint about the book is that Sam sometimes waxes introspective a little too much. There were a couple of meanderings that I had to struggle to read.
Note to authors: It will never be entertaining for the reader to read an account of your character’s dream. I know this is a good technique for getting Freudian with your characters but please, save it for the movie.
There is no black and white line drawn in the novel when it comes to morality and while that may bother some readers, I found it refreshing in the liberty that it allows the story line.
All in all I thought it was a good read that stepped away from the norm. If you have an appreciation for dark humor and a love for New England or it’s writers, or are just looking for something completely different then I recommend it. After all, where else will you find passages like this?:
“It was the kind of snow that made you wish you had a sled, an old one with metal runners, and it was also the kind of snow that made you forget that you were the kind of person who wouldn’t ever take care of the runners and they would rust and soon the sled would be useless, which is another way of saying that it was the kind of snow that tricked you into thinking things were better than they actually were.”
Go back and read that again…it was one sentence. One very well written one. And there are hundreds more like that in this book.
Don Theo III
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