The Angel of the West Window by Meyrink
The Angel of the West Window (1927)
by Gustav Meyrink, translated by Mike Mitchell
421 pages - Dedalus
At the beginning of this novel, the narrator inherits a collection of papers and various other objects that a recently-deceased relative was assembling, all belonging or in reference to John Dee, alchemist, advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, and their common relative. As the narrator's life is interspersed with entries from Dee's journals, we notice that events hundreds of years apart are mirroring each other, and many of the same personality archetypes that surrounded Dee also surround the narrator. Eventually the narrator realizes that he is Dee, or perhaps more accurately that they are the same unknown person.
This was Meyrink's final book, by far his longest--he was suffering serious health problems by this time and portions of it were apparently written by an associate. The narrative can be slightly tedious at times, but there are also stunning moments full of visionary symbolism. Various schools of mystical thought are drawn upon, but while you are dreading that Meyrink is going to be delivering some sort of sales pitch or manifesto it never happens, and even though the ending somewhat tends toward Rosicrucian beliefs, it is still bathed in mystery and the ultimate eternally enduring love of God. I am somewhat hesitant to put a 'fantasy' tag on this, because nothing here is that far from reality, even the alchemists turning base metals into gold is not actually scientifically impossible, it's just not within our current ability (which could actually spawn a whole discussion of how a lot of fantasy narratives are closer to what people believe than some of the things that occur in 'straight' fiction). The empty husk of a caterpillar's cocoon after it has turned itself into a butterfly is a reoccurring symbol.
by Gustav Meyrink, translated by Mike Mitchell
421 pages - Dedalus
At the beginning of this novel, the narrator inherits a collection of papers and various other objects that a recently-deceased relative was assembling, all belonging or in reference to John Dee, alchemist, advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, and their common relative. As the narrator's life is interspersed with entries from Dee's journals, we notice that events hundreds of years apart are mirroring each other, and many of the same personality archetypes that surrounded Dee also surround the narrator. Eventually the narrator realizes that he is Dee, or perhaps more accurately that they are the same unknown person.
This was Meyrink's final book, by far his longest--he was suffering serious health problems by this time and portions of it were apparently written by an associate. The narrative can be slightly tedious at times, but there are also stunning moments full of visionary symbolism. Various schools of mystical thought are drawn upon, but while you are dreading that Meyrink is going to be delivering some sort of sales pitch or manifesto it never happens, and even though the ending somewhat tends toward Rosicrucian beliefs, it is still bathed in mystery and the ultimate eternally enduring love of God. I am somewhat hesitant to put a 'fantasy' tag on this, because nothing here is that far from reality, even the alchemists turning base metals into gold is not actually scientifically impossible, it's just not within our current ability (which could actually spawn a whole discussion of how a lot of fantasy narratives are closer to what people believe than some of the things that occur in 'straight' fiction). The empty husk of a caterpillar's cocoon after it has turned itself into a butterfly is a reoccurring symbol.