Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Burning At Both Ends

A few of my favourite guys have been blogging up a storm about literary matters of late. Max is digging visions of dystopias and Mikey is reading harrowing tales of addiction and recovery, and thinking that what Venice really needs is gay hookers and a drag queen.

This reminded me that I meant to drop a comment about a weird literary coincidence I just had. Having just finished Gregory Maguire's sequel to "Wicked" "Son Of A Witch", I picked up a book that I bought a while back but hadn't got around to reading, Jeff VanderMeer's "Veniss Underground". Now, this may not seem like much, but both book's have a character in them called 'Candle'. One of the important characters in "Son Of Witch" is a young female 'maunt' called Candle, and in Veniss Undergound one of the main characters has a short but important encounter with an incidental character, also called Candle.

I mean, it's not like its a common name, surely...

6 comments:

Michael said...

....what Venice really needs is gay hookers and a drag queen.

That'd be dreamy, but perhaps two queers holding hands on the Ponte di Rialto as they gaze out over the Grand Canal would suffice.

I'm really torn between "Son Of A Witch" and "Magical Thinking" for my next read. My Yidsister, Debby, is lobbying heavily for the former so that we can "discuss it amongst ourselves" Linda Richman-stizz.

Bodhi said...

....what Venice really needs is gay hookers and a drag queen.

Everywhere should come with that as a minimum standard requirement, as far as I am concerned.

Anonymous said...

Hey, I've had a "short but important encounter with an incidental character, also called Candle." Okay, not just one and not particulary short, but rather broad and yet nicely cool to the touch, fragrant - perhaps but still...

I could write a book, baby.

The Other Andrew said...

These comments have everything. Literary! Wistful! Dirty!

Loulou your comment reminds me of the old joke about the two nuns.

One sister says to the other "Sister, where's the candle?"

The other sister replies "Yes, doesn't it!"

Anonymous said...

How was son of a witch? I love all things wicked... I am fanatic.

The Other Andrew said...

Duane, I'm a big fan too. I re-read Wicked just before Son Of A Witch was released, and then went straight into reading it. I enjoyed it, but maybe it's because Wicked was so new seeming when I first read it, but SOAW didn't have the same 'wow factor' for me. Still enjoyed it though, and Maguire fleshes out the history and races of OZ more. Worth the read.