A Rather Scarring Carnival

By Fianna T.

No matter how crazy a carnival may seem, it won't be as wild as this one. With a plot about a family of circus freaks purposely bred for birth defects with the use of drugs, insecticides, and radiation, it's quite the disgusting, utterly mind baffling book. And yet, Katherine Dunn, the author of the novel Geek Love, has created a story that is impossible to turn away from, no matter the grisly details.

Olympia Binewski, an albino, hunchbacked dwarf, is the protagonist of Geek Love. In the novel, Olympia tells the story of her family, the Binewskis, and their unique lifestyle as owners of Binewski's Fabulon, a traveling circus specializing in the display of the freakish children. Her siblings include Arturo, who has flippers for limbs, Electra and Iphigenia- the Siamese twins, and Fortunato, a seemingly normal boy with telekinetic abilities. Considering the circumstances, Oly is actually considered considered the "normal" one in her family of freaks. However, this is the reason for the intense sibling rivalry and manipulation, as being a "norm" or normal individual is looked down upon in this family.

Flipping between childhood stories and the present-day activities, the reader follows Oly through her entire life. As the story continues, the children grow up, leaning less on their parents and more on the oldest son, Arturo. Arturo becomes the leader of the Binewski clan, eventually leading the family from the circus environment and more towards the cult following that he establishes through his act as Aqua Boy, called Arturism. Ultimately, it convinces "normal" individuals to chop off their limbs in an effort to "free" themselves from the restrictions of being a normal functioning member of society, leaving nothing but scars and stumps for limbs.

Dunn's writing style is unique, smoothly transitioning between past and present in an intriguing way. Her characters have a realistic, unique personality that allow a flowing dialogue in the novel. However, it later seemed as if the book lost its purpose near the middle of the book. As the plot continues, Dunn kept piling on one cruel and gross event on top of another. This definitely ruined the natural, more believable feeling received at the beginning of the novel. Instead, the plot felt very pushed and dragged out. Although the surprisingly disgusting events provided an exciting sense of curiosity in the reader, it eventually became dull and repetitive.

I had heard of Katherine Dunn before, but this is the first work of hers that I have read. I definitely enjoyed how the plot provoked a lot of thought, and the novel allowed me to look at things from all different perspectives. So, I am looking forward to reading some of her other works, such as Attic and Truck. If you're looking for something interesting to think about, (or need some scarring images engraved in your mind from the disturbing events that occur) I highly recommend that you check out Geek Love.

Geek Love, by Katherine Dunn, Alfred A. Knope, 348 pages