Flustered by the originality of the premise, I don’t even
know where to begin reviewing Jeffrey Ford’s 2005 The Cosmology of the Wider World.
How does one start introducing a story about a minotaur caught in the
doldrums of life—his great work of academia not shaping up as planned, nor his
personal life one of contentedness or satisfaction? How does the reviewer begin to explain that,
yes, some of the main characters include a tortoise, an owl, an ape, a whale—even
a mad flea, and yet the human condition forms the story’s core? I
don’t know…
Born to a normal man and woman, Belius nevertheless emerges
from the womb half man and half bull. A
sharp young lad, he grows up normally on their farm, though, his father goes to
pains to let the cows out to feed only at night while Belius is sleeping. But they can’t be kept hidden forever, and
one stormy night Belius’ understanding of the world comes crashing down around
him. Coming to live in the Wider World
in the aftermath, a place where only animals exist, Belius sets himself the
task of defining its cosmology in an attempt to reconcile his half-man,
half-beast state of being. But long
hours of writing, of collecting knowledge and putting it down on paper, does
not suffice, and thus Belius sets out to get special assistance putting his
soul back in order.
If the above intro is not proof enough, The Cosmology of the Wider World is unlike anything else in Ford’s
oeuvre. Belius’ storyline is truly unique. That being said, it granulates elements from
a number of his stories. Not quite a
linchpin, like say Stephen King’s Dark Tower novels, Cosmology nevertheless contains a number of ideas from throughout Ford’s oeuvre. From the metafiction/autobiographical
parallels to the plot premise (a writer trying to find purpose in writing and
life), the occasional puffs of Mary Jane to demon hunting, Thip the flea’s
little kingdom to the sly humor, the act of “Creation” to the book within a
book, the story is undeniably Ford’s even as the concept appears fresh and new.
Unsure how to open the review and unsure how to close, I must
suffice at saying The Cosmology of the
Wider World is perhaps the best work of long(er) fiction Ford has
written. Able to take an abstract
conception and render it wholly human, wrestling with humanity’s animal nature
has never been so original or enjoyable.
I want so much to get my hands on a copy of this ... Just short of getting it as an e-book. And after your review, even more. As you may have gathered from past comments, Jeffrey Ford is one of my four or five favorite writers, and this work does sound like his best (or second best after Shadow Year), most intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI've read an interview with him where he described Wider World as a smaller part in a still ongoing work in progress. I hope he still continues working on it will and finally publish it somewhere down the road.
Cheers,
Klaas
Yeah, I settled for the ebook. I don't know how many copies were printed, but isfdb shows only two printings: one in hardcover the other trade paperback, both in October of 2005, meaning you'll probably pay more than normal to get a hard copy.
DeleteNot a spoiler, the novel ends on a note that could be extended, so interesting to hear there may be more to Belius' story than is presented in Cosmology. For certain I would read it.
If my research is correct, it is included in a "Best Short Novels" volume that can be acquired at a much lower price than the standalone volume. Unfortunately, I cannot get it over here in Germany, but I have set a friend in the US on it to get it for me.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Klaas