“Jonathan Meades’ book is must-read filth”
Jonathan Meades’s latest novel, Empty Wigs, is a provocative, offensive, and sprawling satire that pushes the boundaries of decency and sensibility. Meades, known for his dark humor and edgy documentaries, delves into a world of filth and perversion with gleeful abandon in this thousand-page doorstopper of a book.
Readers familiar with Meades’s previous work, such as Pompey, will not be surprised by the explicit content and audacious themes present in Empty Wigs. The novel delves into taboo subjects like bestiality, incest, and transgressive behavior with unapologetic boldness. Meades throws political correctness out the window and fearlessly explores a range of controversial topics, from religion to sexuality, with biting satire and scathing wit.
Empty Wigs is a sprawling, plotless novel with multiple narrators and a dizzying array of characters. Set in the fictional Malpasfang Lodge, the story unfolds over 19 chapters, each offering a unique perspective on the bizarre and twisted events that unfold within its walls. From transgenic experiments inspired by Charles Darwin to heavy-petting zoos and cannibalistic sea voyages, Meades takes readers on a wild and unpredictable ride through his darkly imaginative world.
The novel’s protagonist, if it can be said to have one, is Meades’s own creative genius. With a boundless imagination and a flair for the absurd, Meades weaves a tapestry of outlandish scenarios and surreal encounters that challenge readers to suspend their disbelief and embrace the grotesque and fantastical. From references to historical figures like Heinrich Himmler to invented characters like the rock star Ricky van Brabant, Meades populates his novel with a cast of oddities and eccentrics that defy conventional storytelling norms.
Meades’s writing is as sharp and incisive as ever, with vivid descriptions and memorable turns of phrase that linger in the mind long after the book is closed. His prose is both elegant and grotesque, painting a vivid picture of a world gone mad with its own excesses and perversions. From the morbidly poetic (“Mourning is not reciprocated. So it can be postponed”) to the grotesquely humorous (“woke in the dark with a mouth like a lorry driver’s groin”), Meades’s words cut to the bone and leave a lasting impression.
In a world where political correctness and censorship reign supreme, Jonathan Meades’s Empty Wigs is a defiant and audacious work of fiction that dares to challenge social norms and push the boundaries of acceptability. It is a bold and uncompromising novel that will not appeal to everyone, but for those willing to embrace its filth and decadence, it offers a unique and unforgettable reading experience.
Despite its shocking content and controversial themes, Empty Wigs is ultimately a work of art that defies easy categorization and demands to be reckoned with on its own terms. Meades’s novel is a testament to the power of literature to provoke, challenge, and ultimately enlighten readers, even in the face of overwhelming taboos and societal norms. If you have the stomach for it, Empty Wigs is a book that will leave you reeling and questioning everything you thought you knew about the boundaries of fiction and the nature of storytelling.