Exit Only

Share this post
The Dilemmas of Mockery
exitonly.substack.com

The Dilemmas of Mockery

On Willem Frederik Hermans’ A Guardian Angel Recalls

Duncan Stuart
Oct 6, 2021
Comment
Share

As I turned the final page of Dutch author Willem Frederik Herman’s A Guardian Angel Recalls, I found myself unsure what to think. The prose is fine, mostly flat. The conceit of the book, wherein a Guardian Angel narrates five days in the life of their ward Simon Alberegt, is absurd. It is, despite all this, utterly compelling. The force of the narrativ…

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2022 Duncan Stuart
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Publish on Substack Get the app
Substack is the home for great writing