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Much like Jonathan Carroll, Joyce’s books have been showing up in my recommendations at Amazon for a long time. And over time, I became very interested in reading some of his work, with this book being my first choice. Thanks to BookMooch, I got my hands on a copy.
Here is a rundown from Publishers Weekly via Amazon.Com:
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An unlikely sprite assumes a sinister incarnation in this exceptional supernatural novel about a troublesome but endearing trio of boys coming of age in the English Midlands in the 1960s. Seven-year-old Sam first lays eyes on the Tooth Fairy “oddly dressed and smelling of horse’s sweat and chamomile” in the middle of the night after he has stashed a tooth under his pillow. Over the years, the fairy becomes a fixture in his life. No one else can see or hear this odd creature, who is sometimes male, sometimes female and alternately coy, cruel and cuddly. Even without this personal demon, Sam would get into plenty of trouble with his chums: Clive, a “gifted child” who wins a NASA (yes, the American NASA) science contest at age six but longs to be normal; Terry, an affable lad whose life is plagued by catastrophe; and Alice, the fetching, knowing girl who drives the boys wild with lust. Joyce engagingly describes the boys’ childhood experiences - sampling drugs, toying with explosives, worrying over acne - and carefully portrays their childlike stoicism in the face of several horrifying tragedies.
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The first thing that caught my attention when I started reading this book was that the Tooth Fairy wasn’t showing up too often. I expected more, though this was based on another description I had read about the novel. Along with that, The kids parents were quickly introduced, and by first and last name, when the three main characters’ last names where never attached. It had me scratching my head. I couldn’t tell the parents apart or grasp a firm image of what they were like when the names were mentioned. I was also dealing with the misconception of the Tooth Fairy herself. But soon the book’s pace fell into a good rhythm, things became clearer, other things started to develop a good pattern, and a good story emerged.
The one thing that the Tooth Fairy can be seen as is a metaphor for the problems and pressure a boy would endure while growing up and dealing with life. As is said in the description, the Tooth Fairy’s appearance changes, and with the needs of what she is doing to Sam and what is happening in his life. Joyce’s presentation is very subtle. At least it was to me. I was still dealing with the questions that Sam has throughout: is she real and is she the cause of his and those he knows’ problems. However, the end gives a good interpretation of the answer, yet doesn’t outwardly reveal the answer. Does that make sense?
It was interesting for me to read some of the reviews posted on Amazon about this book. Everyone seems to think of this as a horror novel. “Really?” I say to myself. Sure, some of the tragic events might be considered horror, but I saw some of them as just parts of life. Especially those that Terry deals with. Maybe more along the lines of bad luck. But one thing is clear, as pointed out by a review, that there is a difference between this novel and something that Stephen King would write. In a novel by King, you would know about the pain and gore that is involved, where as Joyce leaves it more as a surreal event.
Also, there is much more to this book then being a fantastical story with horror elements. At least to me. You learn much about the characters, especially Sam. There is much to laugh about too, if you know and enjoy British humor (sorry, but Joyce wrote this with a very British feel). The emotional pains of dealing with life is a big theme of this story. Not just from a the tragic either, just everyday things one growing up has to tackle. That’s why it’s best described as a coming of age story with a big fantastical element that makes it’s different.
With the ending, and getting through those first few chapters and realizing where Joyce was going, it turned into a unique and interesting story. Like with Carroll, I look forward to reading more of Joyce’s work.
8/10
