Titus Groan

Gothic eccentricity at its finest. This work is the literary equivalent of an Arthur Rackham collection. Poignant prose, multitudes of original meteorological and animalian metaphors, and above all, peculiar and enigmatic characters make this novel a rich tapestry of fantastical oddities that are worth an attentive read. At times it was difficult to sort through what Peake was trying to say, but he always makes things clear as you get further down the line. There is no absolute black or white here, only, as in life, countless anomalous shades of gray. Peake leaves it to the reader to decide for themselves despite painting as vivid a poetic picture as ever appeared in the fantasy genre. So unconventional that I felt like reading a book written in another dimension, yet it's utterly decipherable. If you're looking for something atypical or if you like cats and/or birds, give this a try.