Mysticism and madness

Edward Buckmaster leaves his family to live in solitude on an English moor. Inspired by medieval hermits, he spends his time contemplating God and life.

After a violent incident during a storm, Buckmaster wakes up outside with mysterious scratches across his chest. He believes there is a beast haunting the local area, and becomes obsessed with tracking it down.

The plot develops very little from here, as the book becomes a dark, introspective reflection from Buckmaster’s mind. Dreamlike visions ensue in a stream of consciousness style.

The setting is sombre and beautiful: hills of dusty purple heather and rocky tors beneath a hazy white sky.

‘Beast’ is best described simply as bleak, with heavy doses of mysticism and madness.

It follows the usual path of stories about the rejection of society; Will solitude lead to insanity, or enlightenment?

Many questions are raised about what is happening to Buckmaster. (Is he mad? Dreaming? In a coma?)

But the more important question is: What does it mean? And does it even matter?

This is a book that does not give any answers, which is the whole point.

If you search for meaning, will you go mad if you discover there is no meaning?

That would imply that insanity itself is enlightenment.

‘Beast’ is an excellent example of surrealism in literature. It can be interpreted as a journey through the subconscious. There is plenty of symbolism to dig through and build your own meaning for this story, if you need one.

Readers who enjoy exploring existentialism, inner turmoil, and experimental books, will certainly be intrigued by ‘Beast’.

I am not that kind of reader, however. So unfortunately ‘Beast’ receives only 1 out of 5 bilberries from me.

I love the concept of a cunning psychological battle against a manifestation of our inner demons. But I had been expecting a more tangible story, perhaps inspired by the Beast of Bodmin Moor, a modern legend about a creature living in the English countryside.

Beast and The Wake:

‘Beast’ is a loosely connected sequel to Kingsnorth’s incredible novel ‘The Wake’.

There are some obscure allusions to ‘The Wake’, such as a vision of a wooden boat hidden in rushes. They share themes of a delusional protagonist and connection to nature. But having read ‘The Wake’ first, it adds little to ‘Beast’.

Do you need to read ‘The Wake’ before reading ‘Beast’? No, each book can stand alone.

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Review: The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth

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