Little, by Edward Carey, is an unusual book in
many regards. Not only is its subject matter, a fictionalized retelling of the
life of the woman who would become Madame Tussaud, bleak, filled with quirky
characters (not the least, the central one, Marie Grosholtz who is given the
nickname, Little) and related against a backdrop of bloody unrest and civil war
(the French Revolution), but the voice in which its relayed is very different
as well.
Once you become accustomed to the style of the narration, it’s easy to be swept
up into Little’s tale. When young Marie, who lives in Berne, comes into
the orbit of the eccentric and clever Dr Curtius, her universe is expanded and
yet simultaneously contracted. Responsible for making moulds of various organs
and body parts for the local hospital, the Dr finds in Marie a willing and very
able assistant. Sharing his insatiable fascination for the human body, Marie
slowly starts to find her place in the world. But, it seems, the world isn’t
quite ready for Marie.
A move to Paris opens doors for Curtius and his peculiar talents but more or
less closes them for Marie. It’s not until a twist of fate throws her in the
path of royalty that her life undergoes a dramatic, but in many ways, bizarre
change.
Based loosely on Madame Tussaud’s personal history, this is a story of familial
relations, noble favour, longing, broken hearts, artistry and passion – the
latter for humankind, but not in the way you might expect. Little is a strange
protagonist that, like many who encounter her, you feel both drawn to and
repelled by. She is honest, direct, humble and yet lit by an internal fire that
somehow Carey manages to make burn through the pages.
Told over decades, it’s a sad, dark story and yet utterly compelling as well.
For fans of literature, history and books that seek to fill in the huge gaps
history tantalizingly leaves, particularly when it comes to women and those who
lack a real voice, this Little book is for you.