Suttree by Cormac McCarthy – Reviewed by Guy Portman
Cornelius Suttree resides in a dilapidated houseboat on the Tennessee River, on the edge of Knoxville. He ekes out a living fishing in its murky waters; his primary staple being catfish. Suttree’s companions are fellow outcasts, existing on the periphery of society. We follow his escapades, which entail drinking, hanging out with friends, fighting, romantic liaisons, an arrest for vagrancy, and a spell in the workhouse. The text is rife with descriptions of depravation, destitution and degeneration.
Set in the 1950s, Suttree is an episodic tome (600+ pages) boasting poetic prose and poignant and profane content. This non-plot-orientated novel can be viewed as a mediation on human experience. While there is considerable meandering, the book never feels turgid. As for its likeable and intriguing protagonist, dignity is his prevailing attribute.
Suttree is hard work; the text is replete with antiquated terms, and this reader was often to be found reaching for the Thesaurus. Nonetheless, this brutal, bleak and at times humorous offering is a must for all dark fiction aficionados.
