Little / Edward Carey

In this fantastical fictional autobiography of the founder of London's famous Madame Tussauds wax museum, Marie (nicknamed Little) recounts how she found and lost her father, how she first met the rather strange Doctor Curtius, from whom she learned the art of wax modeling, how she moved to Paris with him, how she came to be Madame Elisabeth's teacher and live at Versailles (in a cupboard) for several years, how she fell in love, how her talents were called upon during the Revolution, how she cast the heads of many famous and infamous people whether before or after their death, how she was imprisoned then freed, how she at last had a family, how she left half that family behind to start afresh in London, and how she opened her museum and prospered. Along the way, Marie illustrates her narrative with wonderful drawings (made by the author himself).

As I started to read this novel, it made me think of Dieu et nous seuls pouvons, the absolutely amazing book by Michel Folco which tells how an abandoned baby boy originated a famous dynasty of public executioners. Both infuse reality with a finely calibrated dose of oddity and a gallery of unforgettable characters.

Edward Carey filled in the gaps in the known lives of historical characters in such an original way that at first it's a bit bewildering, but once I gave in to it, I absolutely loved this novel — most of all Marie herself who, although exploited in so many ways throughout her life, feels very little self-pity even in the worst situations. She behaves with a quiet dignity that shows true inner strength. Little is definitely one of my favourite novels of the year.

I borrowed this e-book from the Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec.

rating: *****