Thursday, May 17, 2012

The Last Werewolf


The closest literary version to what is undeniably my favorite werewolf film (and close to my favorite horror movie), An American Werewolf in London. What makes them similar is that they manage to combine horror, humor, sex and tragic romance in equal parts and make it all work.

Glen Duncan's novel is sort of an unintentional response to the recent spate of cuddly supernaturals in the world of YA fiction. Jake, who is in fact the last werewolf in the world, is a two hundred year old monster with a philosophical bent (he's had a lot of time for reading) who likes prostitutes and good Scotch, and has come to a point in his life when he is sick of it all and just wants to die.

Duncan writes a lot like Martin Amis with an abundance of Martian-poetry metaphors. There's also a little bit of Bret Easton Ellis mixed in, especially the lurid descriptions of sex and disemboweling, often happening at the same time. While there's definitely romance in this book I wouldn't call it romantic, at least not in an Edward/Bella way.

I love the American cover art (above) but am equally impressed by this version below. Is it fan made? I actually don't know.


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