civilization rests with the Professors in their steel and concrete villages; marauding tribes of Barbarians roam the surrounding jungles; mutilated Out People inhabit the burnt scars of cities.But Marianne, a Professor's daughter, is carried away into the jungle--a grotesque vegetable paradise--where she will become the captive bride of Jewel, the proud and beautiful Barbarian."
I haven't read anything close to this book. Possibly the closest is Kundera's "Unbearable Lightness of Being." They share the same brutal isolated tone and sex is a main theme in both. But other then that they share nothing. Heroes and Villain's is stunningly unique, in content and writing style. It sucks you in and leaves you reeling. Truly an excellent novel.
However, it certainly isn't an easy read. As said above it is brutal, but it is also twisted and dark. The themes that it covers ranges from abusive relationships, rape, abuse, toxic co-dependency, the break down of society, religion and the viciousness of the human spirit.
If you come into the book expecting it to be structured like a normal novel with a likeable protagonist and clear goal you will be disappointed. Marianne is a terrible women. As vicious and brutal as Jewel. Heroes and Villains is dreamlike, brutal and beautifully twisted. Gothic fantasy storytelling at its finest. Marianne and Jewel are two incredibly compelling characters, who I loved, despite disliking them very much. They are less characters and more symbols. They are tools with which Carter uses to construct certain arguments and contrasts. The writing is so so beautiful. Full of full bodied prose. Even when describing awful things, it envelopes you in the cloying atmosphere of the story. There is such a strong sense of place even with minimal world building.
As a reader I enjoyed the progression of Jewel and Marianne's relationship, this unlikely romance, if you can call it that, that would go sour in some places and then pick up again when you least expected it. It was so human yet so primal. Their story is symbolically underpinned by the Adam and Eve mythos, and this also handsomely features in the form of a grotesque tattoo on Jewels torso of the scene where Eve offers Adam the forbidden fruit. In fact, Jewel is somewhat of a synthetic messiah; a puppet controlled by the ominous 'Doctor'; a madman who is trying to fabricate his own religion using members of the savage tribe. Jewel with his imposing physique and handsome looks doubles as Adam, Jesus and other religious characters. This aggressive reliance on each other, the love and hate sitting side by side was an interesting dynamic. It is definitely the best representation of an unhealthy relationship I have read.
I really enjoy dark novels that deal with mature content, contemplate the human condition and what we can do to each other. However there were moments in this book that genuinely disturbed me and I am unsure if where entirely necessary or handled in the best way possible. Marianne gets raped by Jewel, but it is so offhanded and quickly dealt with. Marianne isn't even very angry at him for it and she doesn't seem to suffer any emotional consequences. If fact she goes on to marry him and have a lot more sex. I just...
Another scene that really got to me is the scene in which Marianne rapes a mentally unwell 13 year old boy. I am sorry but why was this scene necessary. I understand that Carter was exploring the human condition but what did this scene bring to the overall story. If the point was to shock me it sure did that well.
Age Rating 16+. A brutal novel.
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