Leonora Carrington was long considered a sort of afterthought to the greater body of the Surrealist movement. A passionate, opinionated artist, her work was celebrated in her day but for many decades was neglected, next to the legacies of her more famous male contemporaries, such as Salvador Dali and Max Ernst. That’s slowly changing now, which is a great thing, because by all accounts she was an absolute weirdo and there are never enough of such folks. In addition to her sculptures and painting, Leonora Carrington was also a bit of a writer. I read her novel, THE HEARING TRUMPET, a little while ago (and it was AMAZEBALLS), and this is my first opportunity to dive into her short fiction.
My overall impression? Good…but not for the casual reader. Carrington’s interest in surrealism, in the presentation of bizarre imagery and dream narratives, trumps her storytelling and characterizations for much of the collection, meaning these are tales chock full of outre and unique imagery…but the actual STORIES tend to be forgettable. There are exceptions: those written towards the end of her life shows an author who has learned to meld the nightmarish impulses of surrealism with the artisanal qualities of a trained storyteller.
That’s a great thing, because the imagery here is bonkers brilliant (and also the talking horses. Carrington clearly had a thing for horses and there are LOTS OF TALKING HORSES). Overall I’d direct the curious to her novel first, but those who want more of the phenomenon of Carrington would do well to seek out this collection. Me like books.
Me Like Books 