Title: Geek Love
Author: Katherine Dunn
First published March 1, 1989
348 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780375713347 (ISBN10: 0375713344)
Rating: 3.96
Overview
Geek Love delves into the twisted and captivating world of the Binewski family, a carnival clan who, with the help of drugs and radiation, breed their own exhibition of human oddities. Meet Arturo the Aquaboy, whose ambition to rule the world knows no bounds.
Witness Iphy and Elly, the Siamese twins with an unbreakable bond. Gasp at albino hunchback Oly, and tremble at the mysterious Chick whose gifts make him the family’s most valuable and dangerous asset.
As they travel across the country, their performances inspire both love and hate. With astute observation, Geek Love examines society’s perception of beauty and deformity, the normal and the freakish, the holy and the obscene.
Brace yourself for a journey that will change your perception of family values forever.
About the Author
Katherine Dunn, a novelist and boxing journalist, called Oregon home for both her writing and her life. Dunn penned three novels – Attic, Truck, and Geek Love – with the latter receiving critical acclaim as a finalist for the National Book Award and the Bram Stoker Prize for horror fiction.
She also wrote a collection of essays titled One Ring Circus. In 2016, Dunn passed away, leaving behind a legacy of thought-provoking and unique literature.
Editoral Review
Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love is a dark, disturbing yet enthralling tale that offers a unique perspective on family, love, acceptance, and self-identity. The novel, first published in 1989, is still relevant in today’s society as it delves into the complexities of human nature and the societal pressures that often drive people to the fringes of society.
Dunn’s writing style is captivating and evocative, and she expertly crafts a plot that is both shocking and compelling. The story revolves around the Binewski family, who, in an effort to create a family of human oddities, use drugs and radioactive substances to manipulate their children’s physical appearance and abilities.
The narrative is told from the perspective of Olympia, one of the Binewski children who has been spared the family’s manipulations and is thus a “norm.”
As the story unfolds, Dunn explores both the darker side of human nature and the universal desire for acceptance and love. The Binewski family’s actions, while shocking, are also driven by their love for each other and their desire to create a family that is special and unique.
However, their actions also raise questions about the lengths to which one should go in pursuit of these desires. The book’s strength lies in Dunn’s masterful characterization.
Each member of the Binewski family is uniquely crafted with their own quirks and motivations, and Dunn expertly juxtaposes the family’s strange behavior with the more “normal” world outside of their traveling circus. Despite their oddities, the Binewskis are human, and readers cannot help but sympathize with their struggles to find acceptance and identity in a society that sees them as freaks.
Geek Love is not without its flaws, however. The novel’s pacing can be slow at times, and some readers may find the subject matter too disturbing.
Additionally, certain characters are underdeveloped, and their motivations remain unclear throughout the book. Overall, Geek Love is a fascinating, one-of-a-kind novel that is well worth the read.
Dunn’s beautiful prose and complex characters make for a rich and thought-provoking narrative that will stay with readers long after the final pages. Fans of the genre will appreciate its contribution to the canon of circus and freak show literature, and anyone interested in exploring the darker aspects of human nature will find much to ponder within its pages.
I give Geek Love 4 out of 5 stars for its unique storytelling, evocative writing, and thought-provoking themes. While not without its flaws, it is a masterful work that deserves a place on any bookshelf.
