The White Dominican by Meyrink
The White Dominican (1921)
by Gustav Meyrink, translated by Mike Mitchell
165 pages - Dedalus
Christopher Dovecote is the narrator of this story, which begins when he is an infant abandoned on the steps of a church. Eventually an eccentric older man takes him in, and they live in a large house next to another strange family, whose daughter Christopher falls in love with. A lot of the elements of the plot have to do with quasi-mystical inner developments, it reminds me a lot of the work of Herman Hesse. Oh, and there are two characters named Ophelia, both of which, unsurprisingly, meet sad watery ends.
I've now read all five of Meyrink's novels. In the end, I think The Golem is the only one that is of very high quality, and it's what prompted me to read the others. Both this book, The White Dominican, and The Angel of the West Window have their moments, and are worthwhile to read. The Green Face and Walpurgisnacht were somewhat disappointing.
by Gustav Meyrink, translated by Mike Mitchell
165 pages - Dedalus
Christopher Dovecote is the narrator of this story, which begins when he is an infant abandoned on the steps of a church. Eventually an eccentric older man takes him in, and they live in a large house next to another strange family, whose daughter Christopher falls in love with. A lot of the elements of the plot have to do with quasi-mystical inner developments, it reminds me a lot of the work of Herman Hesse. Oh, and there are two characters named Ophelia, both of which, unsurprisingly, meet sad watery ends.
I've now read all five of Meyrink's novels. In the end, I think The Golem is the only one that is of very high quality, and it's what prompted me to read the others. Both this book, The White Dominican, and The Angel of the West Window have their moments, and are worthwhile to read. The Green Face and Walpurgisnacht were somewhat disappointing.