| In this second book of Davies' trilogy, David Staunton, the son of Percy Boyd Staunton, travels to Switzerland. He is traumatized by his father's strange death and his own unhappy childhood. Although David is a lawyer, he is a rootless and unhappy failure. David decides on Jungian analysis as a possible answer to his troubles. However, while in Switzerland, he encounters the heiress Liesl, the hagiographer Ramsay, and the magician Magnus Eisengrim. All three are closely connected to his own past and to the death of his father. As David continues with his therapy, a recurring image of the manticore - a creature with the head of a man, the tail of a scorpion, and the body of a lion - emerges repeatedly. David must try to cope with his own past and with his father's cruelty and abuse as he tries to unravel the mysteries surrounding his family. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - depressed Internal struggle/realization? Yes Struggle over Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Main char. serviced by prostitute? Yes Coping with loss of loved one(s) Yes Loss of... Battle with a psychiatrist Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Ethnicity/Nationality Unusual characteristics: Main Adversary Identity: - none Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 () Europe Yes European country: - Switzerland The Americas (not US): Yes The Americas: - Canada Misc setting Writing Style Sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - vague references only - descript of kissing - touching of anatomy - Boob talk! Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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