Mark Slouka
Mark SloukaGod's Fool

God's Fool

3/5
(15 votes)
God's Fool

Born attached at the chest, Chang and Eng were considered a marvel, an omen, an act of God, evidence of His glory or proof of His wrath.

About Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka most recent books are the story collection All That Is Left Is All That Matters, the memoir Nobody’s Son, and the award-winning novel Brewster. His work has appeared in The Best American Short Stories, The Best American Essays, and the PEN / O. Henry Prize Stories. He lives in Prague..

Books

Mark Slouka-All That Is Left Is All That Matters

All That Is Left Is All That Matters

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Nobody's Son

Nobody's Son

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-The Visible World

The Visible World

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-All That Is Left Is All That Matters

All That Is Left Is All That Matters

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Lost Lake

Lost Lake

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Labyrinth of the Heart

Labyrinth of the Heart

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Nobody's son

Nobody's son

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Brewster

Brewster

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Brewster

Brewster

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Brewster

Brewster

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Essays from the nick of time

Essays from the nick of time

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Visible World

Visible World

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Visible World

Visible World

Mark Slouka

Mark Slouka-Visible World

Visible World

Mark Slouka

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Reviews

In some ways, I really preferred this book to David Strauss' Chang and Eng. This one, told from Chang's perspective, was much more lyrical and better written.
The problem with Mark Slouka is that he fancies himself to be (a) a stylist, (b) an intellectual, (c) a creative genius, and, at least in his "critical" writings, (d) a contrarian. Which would have made him a very interesting writer to read indeed if he only knew how to tell the difference between (a) style and clutter, (b) thinking and whining, (c) originality and cliche, and (d) courage and boneheaded idiocy.
Slouka takes the story of siamese twins and paints a beautiful image of their homeland, their life, and the politics of their time. The story starting in Siam and ending up in the American Civil War is engaging and heartfelt throughout.
I was initially a little wary of reading historical fiction about Chang and Eng Bunker, the most famous pair of conjoined twins. On the one hand, one of my absolute favorite themes in fiction is brotherhood, which Chang and Eng literally embodied, and another of my favorite themes is interculturality, and Chang and Eng not only traveled extensively but also eventually settled in North Carolina, half a world away from their native Siam.
It's an unusual story, loosely based on the true events of conjoined twins born in China.
Once I got into it (after a very confusing beginning), the story and its characters fascinated me and I couldn't put it down. Lovely writing; great characterisation.
One of my favorite books.
Two stars because this book was rather slow and boring at times. This is the story of the original Siamese twins from China who were sold as a curiosity to be shown to kings and the like, and then escaping to "freedom.

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