Customer Reviews

Nevermore

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'd recently read a history of Houdini that described his friendship with Arthur Conan Doyle. The book literally takes the real facts of that friendship and moves them into a fiction--a mystery that entwines fictional and metaphysical situations to create a Sherlockian, theosophian enterprise in the spirit of other books that try to continue the Holmesian tradition, but this time with its author cast as the main detective.

The book takes awhile to pull all its threads together, so patience is required. But, the prose when not presenting dialogue offers a nice change from the usual mimicry of this time period and adds a new touch here and there. Certainly moments when Victorian discretion is not a bother!

As I post this, there are other personal reviews, pro and con, plus a published review that mentions a flat ending. I definitely had to go find my 'complete Poe' to get the last allusion to his work, which wasn't a problem with the other situations in the story that referred to his stories. Somehow, I don't think the image chosen was really thought through beyond its utility to link one used in a Poe story with the real-life situation of Houdini's watery death. But this death isn't part of the story (still a future event). How Doyle's gesture might help, much less what the last warnings of Poe's ghost meant, present confusion.

Perhaps this was an attempt to end this novel like Poe's writings--after everything is explicated, the introduction of a surrealistic image that leaves the reader smack back in the unknown and now left to his/her own devices for figuring how to get out of it. Or...it just could be a case of an author who is also a movie writer, forgetting that he needs a more complete ending, since it's not likely there's going to be a "sequel."

I am not really a fan of most mysteries, but I found this one to be very appealing. What does it have? It credibly brings together Harry Houdini and Conan Doyle who shared a common interest in spiritualism, mixes in a fascinating (lady) psychic, and then provides a macabre tale of murder. An interesting twist in the plot is the regular appearance of the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe who appears to Conan Doyle, a believer in spirits. I enjoyed the book very much, in that I found it to be very well plotted, with believable characterizations of Houdini and Doyle. There were many twists in the book, and enough to keep me turning pages as the plot progressed. I'd very much recommend the book to people interested in either Houdini or Conan Doyle (or Sherlock Holmes for that matter). My only qualm is that I don't think the appearance of Poe's ghost added much -- it would have been a good mystery novel set in the past (somewhat on the level of the Alienist) without the elements of a ghost story

Houdini and Conan Doyle are two of my favorite people from history. This story was fun and enjoyable. It reminded me of "The Alienist" quite a bit, too. It is fun stuff--spritualism, magic, illusion, detective work...all
happening during a great time in history.

William Hjortsberg's "Nevermore" brings together Harry Houdini, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a serial killer emulating Edgar Allan Poe's stories, and a host of real characters from the 1920s. Sherlock Holmes's creator is in the United States delivering a series of lectures on spiritism, and Houdini is playing his usual role as a skeptic. The two inevitably run into each other time and time again, and they form a friendship, one that is tried to some degree by their different philosophies. While they are going about their businesses, a killer is dispatching victims in ways that are taken from Poe tales. And at the same time, a woman calling herself Isis is performing supernatural feats that Houdini cannot explain away.

If the story sounds busy, that's because it is. The various threads seem to coexist without mingling for quite some time. In fact, the serial killer all but disappears for a substantial portion of the second half of the novel. With the standard suspense aspect thusly diminished, the novel becomes more of a combination of a period piece and an exploration into the two men's obsession with supernatural phenomena. The historical aspect of the mystery often works well, though Hjortsberg does seem to revel a bit much in the minutiae of the period, from cigarette brands to characters. The supernatural aspect does not work, as Houdini is clearly the loser; there is never really any doubt but that spirits exist and influence the world. Also, it should be noted that Houdini's character, while heroic, is also decidedly unflattering, especially in his dealings with Isis.

"Nevermore" begins with a great deal of promise but ultimately fails to fulfill that promise as the threads never mesh entirely satisfactorily. While Hjortsberg writes well for the most part, he never truly unites the several threads, and a few of them are left dangling.

Hjortsberg has created an interesting recipe for his novel. The characters of Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are the main ingredients. Throw in a farm girl who thinks she's the reincarnation of Isis. Set the story in 1923 New York City and have the characters cross paths with Damon Runyon, W. C. Fields, Fanny Brice, and other notables of the jazz age. Spice these ingredients with Houdini's amazing illusions and Doyle's belief in the occult. Add a few pinches of romance. Stir up the mixture with a killer inspired by the stories of Poe.

One has to suspend belief to enjoy this concoction, but once the reader can do that, s/he will discover that Hjortsberg has managed to combine these improbable elements into a fun mystery.

It won't take much for the avid mystery fan to figure out whodunit, but that won't dim the enjoyment of being pulled into the age of crystal sets, speakeasies, flappers, and vaudeville. And, of course we know the killer will have to be hideously clever to outwit both Houdini and the creator of Sherlock Holmes.

NEVERMORE is like Houdini's magic ---only an illusion.

Hjorrtsberg gives us another, but far too infrequent, glimpse into the spiritual world. A good read of historical fiction laced with the occult

I found this book facinating! It intertwined one of the genre's greats (Poe) with another author (Hjortsberg) who is destined to join the ranks of great authors. It mixed the occult with intrigue and kept me up all night reading. It was impossbile to put down.

What a fabulous book--in the true sense of fabulous: Houdini, Arthur Conan Doyle, the ghost of Poe, and the reincarnation of Isis. Start this book on a lazy, drizzly Saturday morning and enjoy the day as it unfolds in all its glorious mystery. At about 8:00 that evening, read the Houdini/Isis sex scene aloud to your lover and see what transpires... Hjortsberg's "Nevermore" presents a potent mix of characters, exquisite storytelling, and a momentum that picks up everything in its path. This novel is the product of a vibrant imagination running wild--and what a pleasure it is to be carried away.

"Nevermore" is a fun fantasy based on figures that we all know. The author takes some liberties with the relationship between Houdini and Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle, but the tale more than justifies these. It's a novel, not a history book.

The imagery is vivid and as the book progresses it is a real page turner. I think that fans of Poe, Houdini, and Doyle will enjoy it.

Nothing irks me as a reader as much as a wonderful premise ruined by a bad execution. The same situation strikes fear into the heart of the writer in me. 'Nevermore' sets new standards in this regard.

So you have Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry Houdini, Edgar Allen Poe, spiritism, murders, sexual intrigue, all of this set against the backdrop of the United States during one of its most vibrant and fascinating periods (the 20s)...

...and *this* is the best you can come up with?!?

There are moments of pure joy in this novel. Some lovely interludes of literary pleasure. Hjortsberg clearly did his research, he has flashes of entertaining deftness of touch...but I don't think he ever really gets a handle on his material, never really creates what so clearly there was available to be created. (In fact, the most skillful parts for me were two brief sections dealing with sex. And I'll leave it at that.) I wasn't impressed with his characterizations. At all. Yes, liberties were taken, certain license was used, but considering what he had at his disposal, it's like he got cold feet when telling the tale...or he never really had a good story to tell in the first place, merely a wondrous premise.

'Nevermore' could have been stunning. It could have been something in the same category and loft as 'The Alienst' or Jack Finney's pair of time-travel books. But it came up terribly short on all counts, saddening both the reader and the writer in me.

(But it still has the stuff of a great movie in it.)