the luminous dead

my first reaction to the luminous dead was, “oh, hey, we’re doing similar stuff here.” it’s a novel about a woman exploring a cave with the guidance of her handler, who exists to her as a voice in her ear. the comparison is pretty obvious, enough that i wouldn’t be surprised if my initial plans for triple helix were influenced by my wife’s description of the luminous dead. there’s a lot of overlap here (though i think i take a more romantic view of physical symbiosis).

the novel’s very concerned with the physical processes of caving. the protagonist is an experienced climber, and the narrative voice pays attention to her negotiation with subterranean topology, the process of setting anchors for her rope and searching for footholds. in addition, she’s under constant threat of attack by tunnelers, big cave-dwelling worms. to avoid attracting them, she must wear a protective suit she’s been surgically integrated with. even this fantastical element is grounded in the tactile. the sensory experience of wearing this suit is hammered home, from the feeling of nutrient paste entering her stomach to the claustrophobia of wearing something you can’t take off.

it’s an incredibly gripping read. i finished the back two thirds in a single sitting one night, and i’ve been trying to sort my thoughts out since. watching the characters ping off eachother and watching the cave unfold combine to form a real emotional rollercoaster. there are points where it stumbles, where it acts without restraint, where it makes explicit what should be implied. however, it did a really good job of getting me invested in the characters. even when it gave the protagonist a tone-shattering victory, i was still attached enough to enjoy the triumph even if i thought it was ridiculous.

it’s given me a lot of thoughts about perfectionism. it would be very easy to take excerpts of this book and fire off a tweet about “fanfic prose.” indeed, there are moments here that feel like overly sentimental fanfiction, where the emotional core of the scene is emphasized with flashing neon lights. these are my least favorite parts of the book. it feels like it’s taking my face in its hands and telling me how to feel…

…and yet, on the whole, it works. as much as i think it’d be well-served by learning some restraint, as much as some of its ideas could use more elaboration… when it works, it works.

it’s well worth reading if you like cave horror and/or fucked up women.