Ultimo volume della trilogia di Gormenghast (non per scelta ma per il deteriorarsi delle condizioni di salute dell'autore), che riprende esattamente da dove ci eravamo fermati: col giovane Tito che scappa dal regno e dai suoi doveri in cerca di qualcosa che neanche lui sa definire.
Devo ammettere che ero scettica, Gormenghast è una presenza così preponderante negli altri libri che temevo se ne avvertisse troppo la mancanza; per fortuna Peake è stato abilissimo nel giocare con questa mancanza in modo da renderla viva e palpabile: "l'assenza" di Gormenghast diventa uno dei temi portanti del romanzo, con Tito che si strugge di nostalgia e al tempo stesso comincia a dubitare della veridicità dei suoi ricordi. Quello del protagonista in fondo è un viaggio più simbolico che reale, durante il quale tramite il classico meccanismo di caduta e risalita non troverà risposte ma se stesso. Niente paura però, il focus stavolta potrà essere più introspettivo ma non rimarremo mai a corto di luoghi immaginifici e personaggi grotteschi, che si muovono su quella linea sottile al confine tra il grandioso ed il patetico tanto cara all'autore.
Proprio per la sovrabbondanza di ambienti e persone l'inizio può risultare frammentario e ci vorrà un po' prima di entrare nel vivo, ma saremo ripagati da un'ultima parte molto intensa in cui tutti i nodi verranno al pettine.
Tirando le somme forse qui non troveremo il fascino descrittivo del primo volume (ma per fortuna neanche quella prosa iperbarocca) o la potenza narrativa del secondo che è inarrivabile, ma la considero una conclusione più che degna per una trilogia che è riuscita a fare dell'originalità il suo punto di forza. ( )

Lejos del colosal castillo de Gormenghast, libre de la opresión del ritual y de la locura y el temor que gobernaron su infancia, Titus despierta a la madurez errando por el mundo de extramuros, un mundo moderno y arcaico a la vez, que nada tiene que ver con su universo conocido, y donde jamás se ha oído hablar de su estirpe. Perdido e incomprendido, llegará a dudar de la existencia de su propio hogar, hasta tal punto que acabará anhelando regresar para probar que la suya no es una vida soñada.

While i guess we could still call this fantasy, at least as much as the previous ones, i don;t think we can call it gothic anymore. Ths is like a sort of steampunk-Great Gatsby with grothesque shadows of WWII lurking here and there.

It is a complete story in that it has an ending which i wasn't sure it would have, however the start and middle are a little hazier. Many sections feel abridged or truncated. A plot of sorts really only begins at the 3-quarter mark.

Still vivid and memorable, Titus himself has never been much of a character though and is never the most interesting person in the room but the sidecharacters are unique as always.

I'm debating whether to buy the trilogy but its scenes engrain themselves so deeply it might be quite a long time before you feel the need to reread it ;) . ( )

Well, I knew if I didn't read Titus Alone now, after Titus Groan and Gormanghast, I might never. Although having read it, maybe never would have been the wiser choice?

[Perhaps reviewing this book is cruel? He was suffering from the onset of dementia, and another nervous breakdown.]

Plotwise, Titus has left Gormanghast, and entered a strangely modern-sci-fi world, where they have cars and flying machines, and are entirely unaware of the giant crumbling castle of Gormanghast.

Which is probably an interesting topic to write about. Is my greatness real, or just a dream that happened in my mind? What are my roots? Am I deluded? Are my beliefs about what I have done actually true?

But Titus... just fails to click as a character for me. He feels more like a mcguffin, bounced from set piece to set piece. Most people get to know him when he is unconcious, or at least mostly fallen at their feet, and he's not usually, err, all that nice when he's awake?

But whatever we're not being shown must be magnetic, because so many people in the book are drawn to him. Muzzlehatch, hides him from the police and joins in a fight on his side and kills a man for him. Juno, takes him into her house and falls in love with him. Cheeta, becomes so obsessed with him she constructs Elaborate Revenge Ploys.

[Peake is not redeeming himself with his female characters here, either. The Black Rose exists merely for Titus to have to kill to protect her, and then she swoons away and dies anyway. Cheeta is painted as evil and scheming and shallow, but really, she is probably not the douchiest one in their relationship arc, which consists of Titus going 'hello! You have nice breasts' as his first words to her, then saying 'no, I don't like you, I just want to sleep with you, you're not very nice, and I must always be Free To Leave.']

It feels like a book that doesn't quite work, storywise. Lots of Important Events happen offstage and are then referred to later oddly in passing, like the destruction of the zoo or blowing up the factory. There are things that feel like they are going somewhere that never do (who is the strange auburn haired man who is lurking in Juno's arbour just in case she is wandering around heartbroken and wants a new squeeze?) and things where motivations seem oddly missing (why does the state particularly care about Titus enough to send two behelmetted policeman constantly tracking him?) It feels like there is an entire story around the edges about the Evil Factory and Muzzlehatch's destruction of it, but it is so light touch as to dissolve like gossamer when you try to touch it - I have no idea why they destroyed Muzzlehatch's zoo, or what evil things they were doing the factory (other than Terrible Stench of Death and Things Muzzlehatch could Not Describe) or why they were doing them, which feels like a big gap.

And I am sure the ending is Deep and Significant, but 'I am going to spend the entire book wondering if Gormanghast is real. Oh look, here is a rock I recognise, I think it is behind this rock. But I will not actually go to the rock and look at it, because I know in my heart it is real, that is all the proof I need, I am going to walk away from it again' is... well, I'm sure it is a powerful reflection on trusting yourself and not needing external conformation. But it's a bit frustrating!

Ah well. ( )

This is a weird book even in the context of the other 2. It does feel a little unfinished and I can't say it really struck a chord with me. All the memorable characters from the previous books are gone, only Titus remains, out in a new and confusing world. I just found it a bit of a slog. I think Gormenghast is the strongest of the trilogy. ( )