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Alison is a medium. But what she hears is sometimes just too dark to pass on. She mostly tells her clients what they want to hear. Colette, her manager and side-kick, makes the bookings and gets Alison on stage. And then there's Morris, Alison's foul-mouthed and obscene Spirit Guide.
Alison, a professional medium, struggles to balance the demands of her cynical manager, Colette, with the persistent, grotesque presence of her spirit guide, Morris. Alison navigates the mundane world of psychic fairs and private readings while being haunted by the intrusive, often obscene manifestations of the afterlife. Her objective is to maintain a semblance of normalcy and financial stability, yet she is constantly undermined by the dark, unvarnished truths she encounters. The narrative framework utilizes a third-person perspective that shifts between the gritty reality of the psychic circuit and the unsettling, spectral intrusions that threaten Alison's sanity.
This work is widely regarded for its unflinching examination of the intersection between the mundane and the supernatural. Critics often highlight the author's ability to render the grotesque with a clinical, yet darkly humorous, precision. The character of Morris is frequently cited as a singular creation that challenges traditional depictions of spiritual guides in literature. Readers and reviewers alike note the narrative's refusal to offer easy comfort, instead focusing on the psychological weight of the protagonist's burden. The novel stands as a notable entry in the author's body of work for its tonal complexity and sharp social observation.
Page Count:
480
Publication Date:
2008-05-01
Publisher:
Harper Perennial
ISBN-10:
0007268378
ISBN-13:
9780007268375
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