The Gormenghast Trilogy
Created | Updated Jan 17, 2008
This is a book review for the Gormenghast Trilogy.
It consists of 3 books:
- Titus Groan
- Gormenghast
- Titus Alone
Titus Groan starts with the birth of Titus Groan. Heir to the great crumbling edifice that is Gormenghast castle. It follows his childhood and also the rise of Steerpike, at first a lowly kitchenhand who becomes the master of the ritual and the greatest enemy that Gormenghast has ever had to face.
During Titus Alone Titus' father Sepulchrave the 76th Earl of Gormenghast is killed and Titus although only a small boy becomes Earl.
Titus Groan and Gormenghast follow on from each other in direct orde, the conclusion to Titus Groan only coming at the end of Gormenghast. Titus Alone tracks Titus' wanderings after he leaves Gormenghast at the end of the secind book.
Mervyn Peake commands a considerable number of characters all vital to the plot with ease. These characters include, as well as Titus Groan, Steerpike and Sepulchrave, Gertrude, Titus' mother, Fuchsia, Titus' sister, the Twins Cora and Clarice, Titus' aunts, Dr. Prunesquallor and his sister Irma, Flay the butler, the Scholars, Nannie Slagg and the master of the ritual Sourdust who is later replaced by Barquentine his son.
In Titus Alone all these characters are replaced with a new set including Juno, Muzzlehatch among others.
These are very good books, well written, intriguing and fascinating, as you watch Steerpike's rise and the family's oblivion to the danger.
Written over 15 or so years, Titus Groan was published in 1946, Gormenghast in 1950 and Titus Alone in 1959/1967. Titus Alone was unfinished as Mervyn Peake died before its completion, however it has been put together from his notes.
Mervyn Peake is a published poet, illustrator, playwright, painter and author and has produced a number of other works. The Gormenghast Trilogy is his major work.
