Absolutely gripping. Possession and exorcism are not subjects that have ever particularly interested me, which means that I'm unfamiliar with most of the roll-call of canonical (the double sense of the word is apt) texts that are called out explicitly and otherwise in A Head Full of Ghosts, or - as with The Exorcist - only aware of them at blurry second-hand, but it doesn't matter either way because this novel punches hard, its careful ambiguity about what really happened with Marjorie (and her parents) and what role Merry played genuinely horrifying in any version of events, and some of the imagery - never mind to what extent falsified by memories, cultural narrative or wilful deceit, are indelible. Phew.
In addition, in the young Merry - at least as rendered by the older (age 23) Merry is a terrific character, and Tremblay is excellent on both her voice and that of the ironic, deconstructive blogger (Karen Brissette) who present a counter-reading of the Barretts's undoing which develops an additional, troubling layer once we learn more about Brissette herself.
In addition, in the young Merry - at least as rendered by the older (age 23) Merry is a terrific character, and Tremblay is excellent on both her voice and that of the ironic, deconstructive blogger (Karen Brissette) who present a counter-reading of the Barretts's undoing which develops an additional, troubling layer once we learn more about Brissette herself.
