Customer Reviews

The Mouse Whole: An Epic

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I heard Richard Moore read passages from "The Mouse Whole" and have since read other passages from the book. In a nutshell, I would say this work is a near miss. It is steeped in satirical tradition, and nearly every other literary tradition, for that matter. The clever rhymes remind one of Formalist or Metaphysical wit or of Byron's "Don Juan," the digressions remind one of "Tristram Shandy," etc. However, nearly all of these comparisons are to this most recent work's disadvantage. It is serious where it should be playful, and playful where it should be serious, and the clever rhymes begin to grate on one's ears after prolonged listening. The book is competent without being memorable.