LIGHTNING RODS by Helen DeWitt (& Other Books, 2011)
I’ve heard of toilet humour, but this is ridiculous!
This bizarre novel has been billed as a satire, but I’m at a loss to know of what exactly.
When you learn the rudiments of the plot, you might expect it to ridicule men’s predatory and predictable sexual fantasies but, if anything, it is women who are presented in the worst light.
Or perhaps, you could envisage it sending up the modern way of marketing products, particularly those with limited benefits. Yet, near the end, successful brands like TCBY (The country’s best yoghurt), KFC, 7-Eleven and The Waffle House are lauded for their success and for demonstrating that, in America, anything is possible.
The Lighning Rods are another, albeit fictional, product to add to this list.
On the whole, DeWitt merely seems content with spinning a highly improbable yarn and seeing how far she can run with it. Continue reading
