Literally Geeky discussion

As expected, even the shortened title of this book is too long for the Goodreads topic name, but here's the place to share your thoughts on The Singular & Extraordinary Tale of Mirror & Goliath: From the Peculiar Adventures of John Lovehart, Esq., Volume 1 (phew...)

I am not a fan of Dickens, elegant though his sentences may be they take too long to get to the point. Curious and clever are his names, but they're also twee and sometime laboured. I mention this because any book, which aspires to faux-Dickensian patter and includes a Captain Mackerel (Captain Haddock or get out) and an Augustus Nightingale is going to rub me up the wrong way.

This story purports to be a 'dark fairy-tale', and yes, I am damning with punctuation.

I want a dark story to open up my own person Pandora's box of fear, cowardice and disillusionment. John Grays philosophies, but in novelists form. Something that forces examination of the self and personal sins, and illuminates the species with a harsh inescapable light. You can't just mention death every paragraph and hope for the best.

Dark books I'd recommend: The Collector, The Wasp Factory, 1984, Misery, The Handmaid's Tale and pertinently to this month's pick The Children's Book.

I'm just waiting for Aaron to come on here and tell us off for talking about the book before the hangout.

BUT.

Why are there so many cats? I'm 4% in and there have been four different cats mentioned already. Tell me it stops?

Along side the cats watch out for the finger-licking.