Original language: English
Original title: God Head
Translation: ¿?
Year of publication: 1925
Valuation: Highly recommended
What a novel, The stone god by Leonard Cline; one that admirably reconciles the artistic invoice and the substantial background with entertainment.
Furthermore, it seems written expressly for me, as it has several of my favorite literary ingredients: a dark plot, an oblique protagonist, a sordid romance, a sinister atmosphere, anguishing suspense, and extremely cruel reflections.
Follow in the footsteps of Paulus Kempf, a political agitator who, after fleeing from the authorities, ends up living in a small, remote Finnish colony. Kempf, a doctor incapable of practicing, a frustrated artist and a disenchanted communist, gets rid of all moral restrictions and imposes himself on the simple people who saved, welcomed and cared for him, taking advantage of their good faith and the superstitions in which they believe.
There are many virtues of The stone god. Perhaps the most notable is Kempf himself, for being complex and memorable. In the end, his personality and evolution are very successful. We understand why he does what he does, and we even feel a hint of sympathy for him, despite how despicable his character is and how destructive he is to the innocent and kind people around him.
Likewise, we must also mention the quality of the prose of The stone god. Leonard Cline is able to give, through it, a beautiful, melancholic or murky patina to certain scenes. He also uses it to describe landscapes, communicate moods or generate suspense with astonishing ease. It’s a pity that Betruviaan’s edition overshadows it a bit, since some strangely formulated sentences and several intrusive repetitions make me suspect that there is no translator involved in this work.
Another positive aspect of The stone god is its integration of Finnish folklore and traditions into the plot. Both aspects give a unique texture to the whole, and are skillfully explained so that even a layman can understand them without abusing questionable exposition tools.
Little more to add. Just reiterate that The stone god It’s a novel. The fact that it is Cline’s first novel makes me want to continue reading the author; I can’t even imagine what his artistic maturity brought us.
Source: https://unlibroaldia.blogspot.com/2024/12/leonard-cline-el-dios-de-piedra.html
