Got a tattoo? I haven't but I know a lot who have though I wouldn't have thought it was a subject for a Booker Shortlist novel. However it is here and Sarah Hall manages to pull it off quite well. From the seaside of 1920's Morecambe to the late 30's Coney Island in Brooklyn New York. We begin with an intricate look at turn of the century Morecambe with its seaside attractions for the workers form the north England mills and mines, true old-fashioned holidaying. The main character Cy grows up in the gaudy holiday world of Morecambe, we are led through his early life with a beautifully descriptive narrative exploring the more base elements of life. In fact the exploration of the darker side of the human existence is a theme that runs throughout the novel, sometimes quite profoundly, the author has certainly done her homework and not just on the history of tattooing. The seedier side of life especially when folk are on holiday, when their inhibitions are lowered due to relaxation from work or alcohol gets an airing here that is sometimes quite graphic though really quite excellent. The author makes a quite brilliant connection between tattooing and the baser human emotions exploring each level between. I wasn't left with any doubts as to why people get tattooed and the meaning of many of the old fashioned tattoos. He learns his trade from an old tattoo artist appears a Fagin-like character but is never really explained even though he plays a major role both real and imagined throughout the novel.
The main character of Cy takes off to America, a journey many, made in the 30's to find a new life and fortune in the golden cities of the USA. He ends up in Americas version of Morecambe and Blackpool all rolled into one:- Coney Island, a mecca for holidaymaking Americans, gaudy ,brash and colourful. The narrative becomes darker here and more complex, really reaching into the darkest parts of the human psyche with the backdrop of the tattoo parlour as the canvas and the weird and wonderful characters from the bizarre shows as the colours for this weird world. The circus freaks and their strange livelihood create a weird backdrop for Cy's tattoo parlour but all this strangeness make the narrative less flowing and certainly very complex indeed.
Essentially a love story but so exotic and complex that at times its too complicated for its own good. The really in depth exploration of the human condition slows the pace of the story down a lot in the second part of the narrative especially as the first part - set in Morecambe - was quite fast paced. The world of the circus freaks is unfocussed and confusing in the narrative yet perhaps this reflects the weird and confusing world of the freaks. There is a feeling of unfulfilment about the American portion of the novel; even the main character doesn't really know what he wants so the reader is left wondering too. That said the beautiful if sometimes gruesomely graphic narrative carries the novel along well enough even if it is confusing at times. Well worth a read though in reviews her other novel "Haweswater" is said to be better. Interesting and thought provoking though complex the novel is never dull and I doubt any other novels exist that use the tattoo parlour as a basis. Mind you having read this I'm no keener on having a tattoo than I was before!!
The main character of Cy takes off to America, a journey many, made in the 30's to find a new life and fortune in the golden cities of the USA. He ends up in Americas version of Morecambe and Blackpool all rolled into one:- Coney Island, a mecca for holidaymaking Americans, gaudy ,brash and colourful. The narrative becomes darker here and more complex, really reaching into the darkest parts of the human psyche with the backdrop of the tattoo parlour as the canvas and the weird and wonderful characters from the bizarre shows as the colours for this weird world. The circus freaks and their strange livelihood create a weird backdrop for Cy's tattoo parlour but all this strangeness make the narrative less flowing and certainly very complex indeed.
Essentially a love story but so exotic and complex that at times its too complicated for its own good. The really in depth exploration of the human condition slows the pace of the story down a lot in the second part of the narrative especially as the first part - set in Morecambe - was quite fast paced. The world of the circus freaks is unfocussed and confusing in the narrative yet perhaps this reflects the weird and confusing world of the freaks. There is a feeling of unfulfilment about the American portion of the novel; even the main character doesn't really know what he wants so the reader is left wondering too. That said the beautiful if sometimes gruesomely graphic narrative carries the novel along well enough even if it is confusing at times. Well worth a read though in reviews her other novel "Haweswater" is said to be better. Interesting and thought provoking though complex the novel is never dull and I doubt any other novels exist that use the tattoo parlour as a basis. Mind you having read this I'm no keener on having a tattoo than I was before!!
