I read it recently in Greek. (I still don’t believe how many books are out there that I can’t find in English.) It was my first by Karen Branson and I was surprised by her voice. Readers who love Phantom of the Opera but not necessarily Christine should read Professor Klenow and a whole new world will open for them. A genius in Philosophy, a cynic in his core and most of all--mainly because of the impact it has on him--an extremely ugly man, Professor Klenow is the first to ridicule his appearance. More than that, his imminent blindness urges the reader to feel sorry for him and wish Elise (the woman he saved from suicide at first and then from her awful--yet three-dimensional-- villainous father) returned his “love”. Everything seems familiar, isn’t it? I read a review where Professor Klenow was compared to Quasimodo but Erik --and his genius-- was instantly brought to mind. Especially when young, beautiful Elize falls for the young, handsome sculptor. But is “Love” was the Professor feels? Branson dissects the feelings that other writers cover under the huge umbrella called “love”. Possessiveness --real, ugly possessiveness-- the need to control the other, manipulation, lies, emotional blackmail, use of intellect to rule the less…cunning. The ruthless use of the pity one induces to others. Everything that in subtle, small doses defines human relationships is there, until Professor Klenow slowly yet gradually comes out as a sadistic, merciless man, using every power he has to keep a woman captured in a way that brings to mind John Fowles and The Collector. Imagine that according to a quick search I did, Karen Bramson wrote this in 1923, 13 years after Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera and 40 years before The Collector.
I’m an avid fan of POTO but I find Branson’s play almost modern in its economy (the medium of course helps) and fresh in its feminist view. I also managed to appreciate more Leroux’s final scene --the redemption of his main character. (If you read “Professor Klenow” you might get an idea what would have happened in one of the most common “what if” questions most fans have.) I admit there are spoilers in my review but since this is a rare book I hope this becomes a reason for one to read it in case there’s a copy forgotten in a library…somewhere. (Darn! I feel as one of Ray Bradury’s characters in Fahrenheit 451. My memory keeps books alive...) Anyway, Karen Branson's play is short and certainly worth the reading rollercoaster for someone who has read POTO. In the end, Professor Klenow ends up a victor in his battle with Beauty, revealing a struggle that had nothing to do with Love and everything to do with conquering and possessing...a war with strategies, victims and casualties that as all wars leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. PS: According to Wikipedia the book could be written in 1902 with its first title being “The Strongest” something that makes it written before Leroux’s Phantom AND brings all interesting Freudian and Darwinian thoughts in mind.
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Inside the Story: Time Not Wasted /chapter 22 or “the advantages of being a non-world famous writer”23/3/2018 I’ve heard that there are writers who pay other people to do the research for them. I guess that goes for well-known, international bestselling writers who have a tight -- writing -- schedule (believe me! I have a tight schedule, too.) My feelings are ambiguous. Doing research in hackers and bank scandals for another story was tedious at times but more than once research led me into unfamiliar paths, added depth and extra layers that I couldn’t have imagined possible before. You can bet I didn’t know of “push daggers” before Time Not Wasted. I didn’t know of poisonous mushrooms, too, but that’s another chapter’s post. I researched for daggers for Bertillon’s tattoo and that alone was a treasure hunt. (more about it below…) This is the best push dagger image I found and it pretty much says it all. I wonder… did you get that image when you read Étienne’s description? (Of course the dagger in his case was not professionally made and not so sturdy or he would be dead.) Anyway, reading about life in prison was not the merriest subject -- sometimes research can be depressing. Other times, it brought a smile on my face-- I couldn’t help it when I read that Jean Valjean could NOT have worked as a galley slave as is implied in the book because the galleys at Toulon didn’t operate after 1748. They were shut down before his time there. The Gorden Age of reform for French prisons was in the years 1820-1840 where significant changes happened (for example they stopped taking the property of convicted criminals -- a policy that allowed Étienne much later -- late 19th cent.-- to return rich to his village.) Still, reading that riots in prisons were very few because prisoners most common fate was break down or suicide... It was hard. Money and the intimidation of rape were ruling in prison life and prisoners more than words used their bodies to convey their stories, their preferences, their identity. And then I discovered Mauvais Garcon: Portraits de tatoués (1890-1930). In English it’s freely translated “Bad Boys: Tattoos' Portraits”. I don’t know about the origin and authenticity of all the photos there -- there is one in particular that feels new to me, the stare of the man almost familiar, haunting -- but if you Google it, you’ll be amazed. And then there is the story of Dr. Vilette.
I honestly don’t remember whether I thought about a man collecting human skins first, then searched for it and found that it actually existed (I was doing a research on skin and grafts at the time) or researched about prisons tattoos and read about it but the mere fact that a man collecting human skins actually existed gave me confidence in writing. Of course, Dr. Villette in real life is supposed to be a surgeon that carefully extracted tattoos from autopsies of French soldiers and preserved them. He acquired more that 300 skins for the Wellcome Collection. (Extracted tattoos are on display at the Wellcome Library in London and I only now connect dots about the way the mind works regarding another “Library” for my other graft-related story.) Of course in my story I didn’t use his name. Not only is there no point in this but I had the freedom to have the collector visit the prison and work with the guards. If one is a collector of something so unique and rare would he wait for dead soldiers or go to his own, personal “Garden of Eden” where all kinds of tattoos were at his reach? In conclusion, research for a story equals inspiration (and it’s the best recipe for writer’s block if ever anyone suffers from one… says knocking wood.) How about you? How do you feel about tattoos? |
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