The BBC Top 100 Books- The Wasp Factory
14:35
Ever since I studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at school, I have been a huge gothic fan. Perhaps this is strange, because I absolutely hate horror films and I'm fairly squeamish, but to be honest, gothic horror is something else entirely. If done well, as it is in The Wasp Factory, I think the reader experiences something more awful than when watching a film, as they process the descriptions and develop them into the images or ideas that scare them personally. It's often our imaginations and our own minds that frighten us the most. I think the fact a few words on a page can do this shows the immense power of the written word.
The Wasp Factory is told from the point of view of sixteen year-old Frank Cauldhame, our first person narrator. I'm not going to give away much of the story line because I want you to find out for yourself, but just by reading the blurb, we discover that Frank has killed three people. It also becomes clear that he has had some sort of "unfortunate accident", although he keeps this frustratingly hidden for the majority of the book, only giving us tantalizing hints in passing. He also gradually unveils the true nature of the Wasp Factory itself, as up to a certain point, we are unable to fully visualise this strange contraption. As well as this, although we find out early on that Frank has a brother who has gone insane, we're left wondering what on earth happened to him to cause this madness. We know it must be pretty awful, but I'm not sure we're quite prepared for the truth.
Essentially, throughout the novel we are presented with a number of incredibly intriguing (yet painfully unanswered) questions about Frank and the people around him. Fortunately, just before the tension gets too unbearable, Banks reveals the truth, often in a way that will make you want to avert your eyes, but simultaneously remain glued to each word on the page. You'll find you can't put it down, just in case the next sentence unveils something huge.
But in amongst all this, what if you're missing something? Something really fundamental?You forgot to ask the most important question...
I shall say no more, otherwise the experience will be ruined. Just read it. Now!
P.S. I'm back to battling on with Moby-Dick- The whales shall not defeat me!
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