The Open Curtain by Brian Evenson

Published by Coffee House Press in 2006

As a "descent into madness" thriller, The Open Curtain stands out. Brian Evenson's commitment to detail makes the novel work. By interweaving the facts of an actual 1902 murder committed by the grandson of Brigham Young (perhaps with the assistance of an accomplice) and the modern ritualistic practices of the Mormon religion (some of which, as he notes in an afterward, have recently been abandoned), Evenson charts a credible path for his main character's detachment from reality. He gives that character (Rudd) a fully developed supporting cast: a cold mother; a tolerant friend-turned-wife who finds herself drawn to him despite her recognition of his growing isolation; the wife's judgmental and intrusive aunt; teachers and police officers and religious advisers who observe parts of his disintegrating personality but do nothing about it.

The Open Curtain allows the reader to experience the disjointed perceptions of a mind that increasingly fails to distinguish reality from delusion. It does that quite well. Some ambiguities are left unresolved (is Rudd's friend Lael/Lyle real or imagined?) but that makes sense given that the story is told from the perspective of a mind that doesn't know what's real. My only complaint about the novel is that, given the disturbing nature of its subject, the writing sometimes seems too low-key, not as vivid as the subject warrants. Still, I was engrossed by the story. I recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers or horror fiction.

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