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The stories in this book are mesmeric. I am on my second read and am discovering much I missed the first time through. I'm taking my time, reading only a few pages a day, to better understand the complexity of each story.
Although the portentous entity and play many of the characters seek, referred to as The King in Yellow, are often considered the heart of Chamber's stories, I tend to disagree. While the mysterious play, purported to drive the reader mad, is certainly intriguing and integral, I find the characters far more engaging. The characters' struggle to attain boundless happiness mirrors so beautifully real life. The search for perfection is never complete and often falls short, driving one to desperate exploit.
When I first read The King in Yellow, I formed the simple conclusion that the lost play, The King in Yellow, was evil and occult in nature. I no longer believe this. The play itself is not evil or magical, it merely presents stark, unadulterated truth. Beauty and misery alike play upon the most base of human emotions. The play fractures the foundation of existence, striking to the core of being, causing the reader to lose his purpose of self, driving him insane. The desire to attain the unattainable is a powerful force.
I imagine by the time I finish the book a second time, I will have a new theory as to the origin and method by which the arcane King in Yellow drives it's readers to madness. And I have yet to surmise the nature of the entity known as The King in Yellow. Oh, the folly.
13:47 on July 03, 2003
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