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The Swallowed Man by Edward Carey

Storyteller, Edward Carey reimagines the classic fairytale, Pinocchio, in this narrative about a carpenter who one day realized he didn’t want to be alone. In “The Swallowed Man,” we meet Joseph Lorenzini. We follow the story through Giuseppe’s eyes, after he’s been swallowed by a monstrous fish. Readers may remember him as Geppetto, from the original novel or Disney film. He longed for a son, and in a frenzy of workmanship, he created one. Out of wood.

The book reads as a diary. Joseph found a scarcely used captain’s log inside his massive captor, along with the remnants of a boat and its supplies. While he was thankful it would prolong his life, whether that was good or bad was difficult to decide. During his captivity, he continued to write in the log, recalling his past, sometimes reminiscing, sometimes regretting, but always remembering. Luckily, he had light available to him thanks to the contents of the ship. Candles and matches were a blessing since he was afraid to stay living in darkness. Eventually he began creating again. Making his art kept him alive. Sometimes madness threatened, but still he held on.

His captain’s log served as many things. His saving grace as well as a biography, where readers learn of Joseph’s childhood, his journey into adulthood, and his time inside the beast. Alone in the dark, he worried over his past, reflecting on his strained relationship with his father and his harsh treatment of his own “son,” Pinocchio. Endless days, one the same as the next and the one before. Only writing in the log and creating seemed to help Geppetto through his days. At one point he sculpted out of a mix he made with biscuits he had for food, stating he’d rather starve to death if it meant he could create just one more piece of art.

Carlo Collodi’s 1883 Italian children’s novel, “The Adventures of Pinocchio” serves as inspiration for this tale, as well as the town of Collodi where Geppetto lives. Not quite the novel, and definitely not the Disney film, Carey’s retelling is dark and poignant, with the art and humor he is known for. A parable of parenthood, loss, and letting go, “The Swallowed Man” is a deep and grim yet fanciful exploration of what it means to be a son, father, and artist.

 

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