Henry’s Chapel
by Graham Guest
Genre: Literary Fiction / Southern
ISBN: 9781952386220
Print Length: 238 pages
Publisher: Sagging Meniscus Press
Reviewed by Elizabeth Reiser | Content Warnings: incest, abuse
A tragic work of metafiction exploring the darkest parts of an incestuous Southern family
The simplest way to describe Graham Guest’s novel Henry’s Chapel is as a movie. Atmospheric, dark, and relayed in this frame to the audience by an overly invested narrator, Lawnmower of a Jealous God (the movie in question) touches on taboo topics, including bestiality and incest, in one troubled Texas family.
The focus of the movie within the book is Henry, a boy with likely undiagnosed autism, who also appears to be the product of incest between his mother and Uncle Avery. The reader is fed descriptions of Henry’s relationships with his twin and baby sisters, as well as with his abusive stepfather Royd. Mostly, the movie consists of scenes of questionable behavior from Royd and a feeling of detached acceptance from Henry. Ultimately, it is a very sad and troubled life Henry leads where he is ultimately on his own in the world and not scrappy enough to make his way out of his unfortunate circumstances.
Each chapter of the book is depicted as scenes from a movie showcasing the day-to-day of this family. This approach works well in creating a cinematic atmosphere. It is easy for the reader to understand what Guest is going for from his descriptions; the movie comes across the pages as gritty, dark, and uncomfortable.
As the plot centers around the movie characters, the reader only gets a true insight into the personality of the narrator reviewing the film. Part pretentious movie buff, part jokester, the narrator often adds a necessary reprieve from a very dark tale. The characters in the movie itself are one-dimensional, but Henry’s twin sister Emily is the most intriguing of the group: Is she a feral runaway? Is she a ghost?
While this book does not lack originality, it may restrict itself to a thinner, niche market. The brooding text and dark themes add a heavy dose of angst, and fans of movies by David Lynch will enjoy the boundaries being crossed throughout. The scene involving maple syrup and a dog is not for most.
Ultimately, this book is a haunting read guaranteed to stick with the reader due to its dark nature. It will not be for everyone. Anyone looking for something light, romantic, or suspenseful should steer clear, but readers wanting to ponder some of the sadder parts of humanity will find much to consider in this uniquely told tale.
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