BOOK REVIEWS
I have dispensed with my 'Books of the Year' postings which covered the years 2009 and 2010, and now attempt to review a selection of books that I have read both good and bad, in editions old and new. Much of what I buy is often based on suggestions by others, or some train of thought that makes me think "maybe I should try..." so they are not necessarily all strange/supernatural fiction.
With many small press books costing around £35-£40 each, and some seemingly worthy tomes changing hands on the second hand market for many times that, these reviews may also give the potential purchaser some indication of what they might receive for their money. Needless to say, my opinions should not be given any great value as I bring my own foibles to every review and these may change at any time.
Jacques D'Adelswärd Ferson
'Lord Lyllian- Black Masses'
Asphodel 2005
pp187 $65.00
This novel is so tied to the history of its author it is worth giving a few biographical facts first.
Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd Fersen (1880-1923) was a French novelist and poet of the early 20th century. Coming from a very wealthy background - his forebears owned a huge iron and steel business - gave him reign to do as he pleased and this was largely expressed in poetry with titles such as 'The Hymnal of Adonis' (1902), 'Tales Of Love' (1898), 'Drafts and Dissipations' (1901) most of which had a distinctly 'Uranian' air. In 1903 a scandal erupted which involved various members of Parisian high society and school-boys participating in what the papers of the time described as 'black masses' at Fersens apartment.
These were more likely to have been tableaux vivants than Satanism, but in any case abuse did occur (Fersen masturbated them) and the case ultimately went to trial.
Fersens doctors claimed he was suffering from insanity, alcoholism and hereditary epilepsy, a more cynical view would be that 'money talked', and he was sentenced that 6 months in prison.
The case had split the homosexual community of the time with some, Proust and Jarry defending him while others, Pierre Louÿs, and especially Jean Lorrain against him. The latter condemned him in book 'Pelleastres: Le Poison de la Litterature' (1910) calling him pitiful and a snob which is extremely ironic as it is thought he was one of the attendees.
After serving his time Fersen was ostracised from Parisian society and eventually relocated in Capri where he continued to write and indulge his passions for youths, falling in love with a fourteen year old Nino Cesarini; though this was not an exclusive arrangement; and drugs- especially opium, to which he became addicted.
His works included a magazine 'Akademos' (1909-1910), a sumptuous journal in the vein of Adolf Brands 'Der Eigene' (it folded after twelve issues being too costly to run), a novel based on life in Capri, and 'Hei Hsaing. Le Parfum Noir' (1921) verses almost entirely devoted to opium.
Here is a sample, translated by Dr. Bathybius whose website is here:
Beside the Little Lamp
From: 'Hei Hsiang : The Black Perfume' (1921).
In the blue-green shadow, evoking a nocturne like
The grand swaying peacocks in the forests of Angkor,
You are the only ruby that exists there, lily of gold,
The pure eye that protects us and the slave who keeps watch.
While our pride marvels at sacred things,
And when black poppies are strewn from watchtowers,
Then each smoker's soul exhales itself from their body,
And all seas sing in our ears,
When Hope, that garish ham, barely smiles;
When our old griefs half-open their tired eyes,
Like a sob that embitters their poor worn-out mouths,
You are here, austere flame, oh virginal swan!...
And suddenly I see, in your fatal mirror,
My life: this Victory with two broken wings!
(Traduction Anglaise: Sardonique Schadenfreude Rictus / Dr. Bathybius, 2008).
It is the latter that doubtless contributed to his subsequent ill health and on 5th November 1925 he committed suicide by taking an overdose of cocaine in champagne.
Ferson would have probably been largely forgotten but for a fictionalized biography by Roger Peyrefitte 'Exile of Capri'.
This book is now hard to find in translation, but further information is available on an excellent PDF here, from which the above was largely culled.
We have now (finally!) arrived at the book itself which was written in the immediate aftermath of the trial and draws heavily upon both Fersons own circumstances and that 'other' decadent trial- that of Oscar Wilde- with whom Ferson obviously identifies.
He also has a few scores to settle and thus for those in the know (which thanks to some helpful translators notes mean that includes us) various parties are identifiable. Thus we have the poet Harold Skilde (Wilde), Jean D'Alsace (Lorrain) and appearances by characters such as Josephin Peladin, Huysmans etc some veiled others not. Ferson himself appears as various alter-egos within the text which essentially follows the events that take an adolescent Lord Lyllian into the homosexual world and out again- for there is a very odd (given Fersons life) 'redemption' of sorts, which ends in tears all round.
Fersons narrative makes no attempt to hide its homosexual aspects and though one can see the influence of Wildes life the narrative is rendered through the prism of an author more in the style of Count Stenbock. Perhaps this appropriate as both Stenbock and Ferson regarded themselves primarily as poets.
At times Fersons style becomes (like the Count) both sickly and maudlin, but Ferson seems aware of the curse of Narcissus and one of the best moments in the book is where Lord Lyllian is held to account over this. However I am forced to agree with Lorrain, who (bitchily) said that Ferson does a rubbish black mass, (though he more controversially assigns this failure being due to Fersons protestantism) and overall feel that is dreamlike episodic structure is just not cohesive enough for me to feel any sympathy for its main protagonist. Given this, I can only partially recommend this book.
The object itself is certainly handsome enough, black moire silk and reproduction of the original cover image neatly inset, and slightly squared format. I am somewhat surprised that this edition (500 copies) is still in print after over six years.
Asphodel editions are here.
