To All Appearances A Lady - University of British Columbia

critique de l'auteur contre une société
entièrement investie de ces idéologies de
l'allégement, du renouveau, de "l'effacement
du monde comme horizon et limite
de l'existence", toutes idéologies qui prennent
le "moi" comme point de départ
absolu de toutes perspectives. Et c'est du
même élan que Ricard stigmatise, vers ses
derniers chapitres, le lyrisme de cette
génération qui ne perçoit plus la nécessité
d'aucun décryptage, aucune étude, d'aucun
'apprentissage,' mais seulement la capacité
de sentir, de voir, d'entendre et d'éprouver
de la jouissance", commentaire qui renvoie
exactement aux positions euphoriques et
inarticulées prônées par Haeck, lui-même
parfaite illustration de cette paradoxale
volonté molle de l'épanouissement à tout
prix, du culte de la créativité naturelle, et
du refus de toute forme imposée. Mais en
sus de la pertinence de l'analyse de Ricard,
ce qu'il faut aussi souligner c'est l'impressionnante
maîtrise formelle de son média,
cette efficacité dans l'argumentation, l'élégance
des formules et le bonheur de l'image,
où visiblement, l'auteur lui-même s'est
abandonné à un certain lyrisme où cependant
la légèreté du rythme est en heureux
équilibre avec le poids du propos.
Subterranean Landscapes
Tom Walmsley
Shades: The Whole Story of Doctor Tin. Arsenal
Pulp Press n.p.
Kenneth Radu
Home Fires. Véhicule $14.94
Reviewed by Sharon Meneely
Shades is a book about sex, violence, and
murder victims who refuse to remain dead.
Fourteen years after his death, A.J., the former
Doctor Tin, is back in town. Yet Shades
is not simply a sequel to Doctor Tin, the
winner of the Pulp Press 2nd International
3-Day Novel-Writing Contest, it is a story
that literally encompasses Walmsley's first
novel, which was published in 1979. Sharply
satirical, the novel is energetic and colourful;
scenes unfold with cinematic clarity,
fleshing out the sinuous plot of Doctor Tin.
Like Doctor Tin, however, Shades leads the
reader on an exciting chase through city
streets and hotel corridors, leaving the
reader not knowing where s/he is going and
wondering where s/he has been.
Walmsley constructs the somewhat fragmented
plot of Doctor Tin as a centrepoint
of Shades, neatly doubling the narratives in
"The Main Drag," the large middle section
of the novel. Onto this base, he grafts alternative
versions of past and present events.
While at times difficult to follow, these
multiple strands of the twisting plot of
Shades: The Whole Story of Doctor Tin weave
together to form a coherent but decidedly
bizarre storyline. One suspects that the
whole story of Doctor Tin can never be told
and the "true" story never known.
With the resilience of cartoon characters,
dead people return to life to fulfil their destined
roles, critiquing everything from rock
music to police violence and racism along
the way. "Doctor Tin has the message, he's
seen it all, been the lamb and avenging
angel, both." As the lead singer-guitarist in
the band known by the same name, Doctor
Tin, more recently known as Anvil Jinx and
Allah Jihad (among many other names),
turns to violence when he realizes that he
has "been unable to spread peace, love,
happiness or anything but rock 'n roll." The
crazy corpse-scattered world into which he
plunges with detective Harry McGraw in
hot pursuit is one of drugs, prostitution,
and sadomasochism.
By design, the characters are thinlydrawn
caricatures: beautiful Melody Miles
is a singer whose voice is a national treasure;
Rip and Razor are rock stars into coke
and violence against women, as well as
homophobia and racism; and Mung is the
rock stars' chauffeur who will kill on
demand. The most fully-drawn character is
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