Titus Groan - Mervyn Peake

Started reading: 04 Jan 2012
Finished:  27 Jan 2012

This is the second time I've read this first book in the Gormenghast Trilogy. The first time was many years ago (in the eighties I think). The book opens describing the vast and overwhelming landscape and architecture of Gormenghast, a castle / citadel / kingdom. where the majority of the trilogy is located. I love the way Peake uses language to evoke the atmosphere of the book, one where everything seems engrained by the passing centuries of devotion to the rituals that drive the daily activities. His characters are in one sense, cartoonish in their extremes of attributes, while at the same time being real and believeable enough to generate the empathy to want to follow them through this saga.

Although this book is titled 'Titus Groan', Titus himself is an infant, with the book beginning on the day of his birth and following the events of Gormenghast and its characters.  Titus plays almost no part in this book, other than being the cause of rituals being performed that are triggers for, or the actual scene of dramatic events that are part of this unusual saga.