Lead Review (The Death of Mungo Blackwell)

The Death of Mungo Blackwell by Lauren H Brandenburg, novel set in a fictional USA setting

The Death of Mungo Blackwell by Lauren H Brandenburg is a funny and imaginative book that also poses big questions. It’s a bit like a cross between a Wes Anderson film and a fairy tale, with a bit of self-help thrown in for the joy of it. The Price family at the centre of the story (Charlie, wife Velveteen and son Gideon) is recognisably a modern American family but those they encounter when they move from “the city” to the rural town of Coraloo range from the slightly eccentric to verging on the grotesque, in the style of Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

The settings are fictional and whimsical. The city is not named, and Coraloo seems to take its name from an event in the Blackwood family history. The Blackwoods established the town, taking over the small settlement from their rivals, the Tofts, some long years before. Brandenburg deftly creates both worlds to make them believable, if slightly unbelievable at the same time. You have to read it to see what I mean! Chapters of Mungo Blackwell’s history are seen as flashbacks, interspersed with the Price family’s experience on arriving in Coraloo.

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Charlie Price had been sacked from his prestigious job in the city after an unfortunate miscalculation which embarrassed his bosses. His wife’s reaction, which has gone down in family lore as “the Rooning”, left them too ashamed to stay among their so-called friends and neighbours, so they sought out a new, simpler life in the countryside.

The book contrasts city and rural life as the Prices try to fit in. Their circumstances have changed and they struggle to keep up their former lifestyle. Charlie tries to balance their finances by re-selling items he finds in the Blackwell’s market but managing their relationships with the locals proves challenging. Velveteen seems to find an ally in Granny Blackwell but after her experiences with her city friends she is mistrustful of Granny, as well she might be.

Charlie and Mungo are each on a journey to redemption and discovering what is truly important in their lives. Charlie’s wife, Velveteen, has traded a privileged lifestyle among inauthentic people for a puzzling landscape where she struggles to find her place. She has a traditional homemaker lifestyle but has to draw on inner reserves of strength and intelligence to help her family survive. She also travels a path of self-realisation, and it is her story that I found most compelling.

Why read The Death of Mungo Blackwell? As someone who isn’t a big fan of fantasy fiction, I nevertheless enjoyed the humour and ridiculousness I discovered in the book. I loved the little traditions and idiosyncrasies of the Blackwell family that are repeated throughout the story and found myself identifying with the Prices as they try to accommodate to this new environment. In addition, the author skilfully keeps up the suspense of both Mungo’s fate and what will happen to the Prices. The strong bond between the Price family members is definitely tested and I can’t say more to avoid spoilers! On the whole, I think it’s well worth dipping into, and if you’re a fantasy fan, definitely give it a go.

Sue for the TripFiction team

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