Steve-Calvert.co.uk
Steve-Calvert.co.uk
A Passion For Horror
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Bank holiday Monday and visitors are flocking to town, in search of a little sea air and a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Among these visitors are Roy and Liz Catlin and their young daughter Rowena. The Catlins haven't just come for the day tough. They are on holiday and will be staying until Saturday. The fair has come to town as well, bringing with it all of the usual shows and rides that you would expect from any fair. There is a shooting gallery and a rollercoaster; there is a ghost train and merry-go-round. There is even a menagerie, and, at Schaefer's fair, they have a fortune teller too. Her name is Jane and she works in a little tent. Jane isn't a gypsy, though; she is a Red-Indian squaw and has a talent for wood carving and making strange totem-like dolls. Rival biker gangs too have made their way to the town, but they are searching for a little more than just the sea breeze, and the only break that they are interested in is the sound of breaking bones. The main characters in Manitou Doll are the Catlins. Roy and Liz don't enjoy the happiest of marriages, and it is Liz who seems to be the dominant force in their family. While they are on holiday Roy attempts to be a little more assertive, but he can't help but wonder it he hasn't left it much too late. Rowena is a happy enough child, but she has hearing difficulties. She also loves the fair and so, on their first evening, that is where the Catlins go. By then the bodies of the dead and injured have long since been removed and things seem to have calmed down a bit. For now anyway. Rowena wanders away from her parents, and into Jane's tent. Jane and Rowena strike up an instant friendship. Liz disapproves of the friendship and tries to discourage it, but her daughter keeps sneaking off to see her new friend. When Jane carves a wooden doll and gives it to Rowena, Liz is horrified. It is so ugly. And the eyes! They look evil. Rowena loves Doll though, and soon finds out that there is a lot more to it than just carved wood. I liked Manitou Doll and found it to be quite an unusual story. I must mention, however, that, early on in the book, there are some rather violent scenes. One of which involves a very young child. It is such a well written scene that it might upset some readers, which is why I mention it now, but I must stress that nothing of this nature is repeated later on. I have to say that Mr Smith has a real talent for not only creating dark characters, but making them believably so. One of the Bikers, Fat Fry, is a really nasty piece of work, and in reading the scenes that are written from his perspective the reader is placed inside the head of a man capable of extreme violence. Not all the characters are as dark and nasty as Fat Fry, however. The Catlins might have their problems, but they are nice people, even if Liz is more than a little hard to warm to. Jane is quite a likeable character as well, and Doll. well, Doll you will have to find out about for yourself by reading the book - or not. The choice is yours. |
