Is Beauty Good by Rosalind Belben review - the literary equivalent of free jazz

Rosalind Belben's novel Is Beauty Good is a literary equivalent of free jazz, defying conventions and pushing the boundaries of traditional storytelling. The book, originally published in 1979 and reissued last year, is a collection of 30 vignettes that explore the human experience in all its complexity. ## A World of Dreams and Nightmares The novel is characterized by its use of dreams and nightmares as a way of exploring the human condition. Belben's writing is reminiscent of Jorge Luis Borges, who once said that 'writing is nothing more than a guided dream.' The novel's narrator is a grizzled and cropped person, who is probably a woman, and is likely to be old and alone. They are on a journey, but are unsure of their destination, and are struggling to come to terms with their own mortality. The novel is divided into three sections: The Insatiable Wheel, Peacock Island, and The Great White Worm. Each section is a collection of vignettes, some of which are just a single page long, while others run to nine pages. The vignettes are a mix of stories, observations, and reflections, and are often humorous and irreverent. They explore themes of beauty, nature, and the loss of the natural world, and are characterized by their use of language, which is often fragmented and disjointed. ## A Commitment to the Author's Singular Spirit Belben's writing is undeniably strange, and will not suit everyone. However, for those who delight in the uncompromising quality of free jazz, Is Beauty Good is a must-read. The novel is a commitment to the author's singular spirit, and is characterized by its refusal to censor the imagination or protect readers from the ugliness and glory of life. Belben's writing is a reflection of her own experiences and observations, and is often brutal and unflinching in its portrayal of the human condition. The novel is a commentary on the ordeal of being a woman, and often combines humor with harsh observation. The narrator ponders planting daffodils on the grave of someone they have poisoned, and Belben has an aptitude for layering hilarious detail with harsh observation. The novel dares us not to be so stupid, and is a reflection of Belben's refusal to censor her imagination in order to protect readers from her experience of life. Overall, Is Beauty Good is a unique and thought-provoking novel that challenges the reader to think differently about the world and their place in it. It is a literary equivalent of free jazz, and is a must-read for those who delight in the uncompromising quality of unconventional storytelling.