And the Ass Saw the Angel

Image credit: Penguin Books Australia 

 There’s something to be said about the stranger surprises that life can give you. Having recently been on a bender of fantasy, science fiction, and spoopy horror, the next book that I picked up proved to be such a contrast to those other books that I do believe I got whiplash from it! Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but whoa I was not ready for how dark and different it was to everything I’ve gotten used to recently. This week’s book was And the Ass Saw the Angel by Nick Cave. 

The book chronicles the nightmarish and thoroughly depressing story of Euchrid Eucrow. Born mute and into an abusive family that lives on the junk-heaped outskirts of a strict and maniacally God-fearing town, Euchrid’s life is one long nightmare of abuse, persecution, and isolation. After his town suffers an unseasonal torrent of rainfall, the skies part and the sun appears again with the arrival of a foundling child left abandoned on a monument step. The town immediately adopts the child and declare her to be a Chosen of the Almighty. But Euchrid doesn’t see her that way and his descent into isolation and insanity increases, leading to disastrous consequences for them both.

The debut novel from Aussie rock artist Nick Cave, And the Ass Saw the Angel is a brilliant example of modern Gothic. Cave explores a number of social and literary themes that keep the mind whirring with thoughts and analyses including the ‘problem’ of the unreliable narrator (very Poe-esque here) as well as the exclusivities of zealous doctrinal lifestyles. We’ve got some Beauty and the Beast vibes going on at one point, and while there are some scenes that are described with (I think) unnecessary graphic and violent language and imagery, the prose itself is decadent, rich in imagery, and just that delightfully bit pretentious. 

Image credit: Wikipedia

Cave really manages to place you slap in the middle of this horrid, nightmarish Southern landscape (or traumascape if you will) and throughout the whole book I was completely blown away by how rich and incredible the imagery was. Confronting yes, disgusting most definitely, but still so vibrant and a real incredible example of the power of words. 

Honestly, it’s not for everyone. People with weaker constitutions for violence and gore or who just find that stuff needless and distasteful will be better off plucking something else from the shelf. But for anyone who is a fan of Gothic literature and interested to see its continued progression into the ‘modern’ age, I would recommend this!

Author: Nick Cave, 1989

Published: Black Springs Press Ltd 1989. Published by Penguin Books 1990.