Official Review: A Sibling in Always

[Alice Heritage]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Sibling in Always" by Ernest Gordon Taulbee.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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As an embalmer working in a funeral parlour in Always, Indiana, Horace Carver doesn't have the easiest job. Yet he goes about it methodically and with legendary skill, no matter how tragically disfigured the corpse to be embalmed. In the fictional work A Sibling in Always by Ernest Gordon Taulbee, a small town in middle America is the stage for an epic tragedy, ancient Greek style. It explores the need of the living to have the bodies of the dead embalmed and reconstructed. It showcases individuals helplessly trapped by their circumstances or family members, touching also on themes like living death and legacies that live on.

In beautifying corpses, Horace uses photographs provided by the bereaved. Some cadavers are not accompanied by photographs, such as one he recognizes as the terrifying local madman. His Uncle Seth, with whom Horace has a troubled relationship, says that the man was a doctor who looked after him and Horace’s parents as children. Horace’s skill is such that he can use bone structure to rebuild a face. But what if there is no face? When he and Seth are called out to pick up a strangely small body under cover of night, Horace is confronted by a being without hands, feet, or facial features. He employs his craft to satisfy an urge to give this person an identity in death. Then, his resentment towards Seth boiling over, he drives into town and displays the fixed-up corpse to the delight of local teenagers. Horace’s arrest is just one of the events unleashed by this act of hubris. A strong female protagonist enters stage left, helping to end Horace’s isolation. No one involved will ever be the same again.

The powerful role played by characters who are already dead is stunning. The novel is partly narrated in the first person by Horace, whose abnormal childhood has not left him unscathed. Parts are recounted in an epistolary style by the fallen doctor recognized by Seth. He is writing to a man who abandoned a child born with severe anomalies in Always; Dr Ellsworth attends to its care with increasing frustration towards the elusive businessman. I came out in goosebumps as I learned more about the connection in life between the doctor and the child, who first entered as corpses - one rat-eaten, one a blank canvas for Horace. I was driven to read on to find out why one death might have followed so quickly after the other. As the sheriff said, was a crime committed?

Dr Ellsworth’s prose has an old-world, occasionally whimsical feel to it. As befits his name, Horace’s sections start with poetry. I wondered at first how much value the poems added. I’d recommend reading through them quickly at first to get to the dramatic action of the chapters. Don’t be daunted by the literary devices – the style is always transparent. I came to see that the poems function like a Greek chorus, that is, another voice providing commentary and a perspective on the action. The tension rose alongside doubts about whether the characters' intentions were good and about Horace’s reliability as a narrator. If the early build-up gave me goosebumps, the twists at the end made me feel like I was taking the ice bucket challenge.

This novel comes highly recommended to anyone after an intriguing and compelling read. Like in Greek tragedies, the violence takes place offstage. Its after-effects are often detailed, however. Horace deals with every kind of violent death you could imagine and maybe some you wouldn’t. If that wouldn’t be your preferred reading material, this might not be the book for you.

Given the level of detail about Horace’s activities, the book must have been excellently researched. Oddly, despite the prominence of death, the theme of religion was notably absent. Funerals there were, but hymns, prayers, and even eulogies were missing. There was more focus on preserving the dead than on “dust to dust” or any concept of souls going to paradise. This is not to say that there are no ghosts in the book, however. The world of Always seemed less Christian and more ruled by modern equivalents of the Greek gods - malevolent forces that ruin lives, including venture capitalist conmen and their ruthless henchmen.

I would have loved to give this book 4 stars but the editing was tragically flawed, with apostrophes missing and typos. For example, a living room was furnished with a suit, while knuckles wrapped. The structure, plotting, characterization, pace, and style were all exemplary. My rating of 3 out of 4 stars is solely based on the frequency of the errors.

While ruling out a perfect rating, the errors did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying this book. In the tradition of tragedies, it inspires pity and fear. Every plot development added layers of meaning to the title. However, I was impressed by how the author avoided bad puns about the town’s name. When Horace is asked if he ever lived anywhere else, he says, “Just Always.” The meaning of that in relation to the themes, including fate, imprisonment, and preservation is left to gel in the reader’s mind.

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A Sibling in Always
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Like ButterscotchCherrie's review? Post a comment saying so!

[MsTri]

This book sounds strangely intriguing and I LOVE the idea of it being written Greek tragedy-style (in fact, I started writing a novella a few years ago that introduces each major section with a poem, but I'm terrible at finishing things I've started). I also like the idea of reading from the viewpoints of both the living and the non-living, not to mention a book with an embalmer as the main character; you don't read that everyday, *lol!* ... Thanks for the introduction!

[crediblereading2]

Thank you for your very detailed review. The contents sound very interesting and somewhat scary. I would have loved to see a blend of religion thrown in somewhere based on the issues of funeral and death, it covers.

[kandscreeley]

Wow! This sounds like a really intriguing concept. A mortician. As he embalms the dead. Don't know that I've read any similar stories. My husband and I don't have quite the same view as most others on this. Once we're dead, throw our bodies away. We won't care. Still, this would make a really good read. Thanks for another great review!

[Alice Heritage]

This book sounds strangely intriguing and I LOVE the idea of it being written Greek tragedy-style (in fact, I started writing a novella a few years ago that introduces each major section with a poem, but I'm terrible at finishing things I've started). I also like the idea of reading from the viewpoints of both the living and the non-living, not to mention a book with an embalmer as the main character; you don't read that everyday, *lol!* ... Thanks for the introduction!

That sounds like a great idea for a book so I hope you do get to finish it. Yes, this one is very different but no less thrilling for all that. Thanks for reading and replying.

[Alice Heritage]

Thank you for your very detailed review. The contents sound very interesting and somewhat scary. I would have loved to see a blend of religion thrown in somewhere based on the issues of funeral and death, it covers.

It was interesting that it was about death and memorializing people, and more about transforming the body than about reflections on the destiny of the soul that has left the body. But as I say, there are some ghosts. Thanks for your response.

[Alice Heritage]

Wow! This sounds like a really intriguing concept. A mortician. As he embalms the dead. Don't know that I've read any similar stories. My husband and I don't have quite the same view as most others on this. Once we're dead, throw our bodies away. We won't care. Still, this would make a really good read. Thanks for another great review!

Despite having watched Six Feet Under I had never thought that much about embalming - this book does make you realize that it maybe is all rather peculiar. I'm not sure what I'd want if a loved one met any of the fates described in the book. Thanks for your response!

[revna01]

Thank you for a very fine review. This sounds like something I would enjoy: unconventional and page-turning. The ancient Greek stylism is also an intriguing angle. I hope the author will invest in some quality editing to really do this book justice.

[Libs_Books]

This sounds quite extraordinary. However, I think I'm going to go with your warning that this might not be for me. I'm not ready for something this grim, though I'm sure it is also uplifting in its own way.

[DestineyGuy]

I love where you are going with this story! Its something completely different that i've read. And your details are outstanding, but what would really top it off is more horror

[Mildred Tabitha]

This sounds like a really nice novel. I like Horace's ability to reconstruct the faces of the bodies and give them an identity. I'm more interested in knowing about the "troubled relationship" between Horace and his uncle. Although this non Christian setting is not something I would want to read about, I enjoyed reading your review.

[stacie k]

This book sounds unique on so many levels. The tragically flawed editing and focus on violent death discourage me from reading it. I’m glad you enjoyed it, though!

[Iftequar]

This book sounds strangely intriguing and I LOVE the idea of it being written Greek tragedy-style (in fact, I started writing a novella a few years ago that introduces each major section with a poem, but I'm terrible at finishing things I've started). I also like the idea of reading from the viewpoints of both the living and the non-living, not to mention a book with an embalmer as the main character; you don't read that everyday, *lol!* ... Thanks for the introduction!

[bookowlie]

I'm not sure the subject matter is my cup of tea, but you certainly made the story and characters seem interesting. I liked your comment that "every plot development added layers of meaning to the title." It's always (no pun intended!) a nice bonus when a book, or title, is thought-provoking.

[Ene Audu]

I love the story line is unique, I also love the intrigue very interesting .