THE LABYRINTH

by Thomas Duncan ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 12, 1967

As in Ross Lockridge's Raintree County in which the undiscovered, mystical raintree explains the dream of the Midwest, Thomas Duncan builds his 19th century novel around an unbroached garden maze which Contains the naive verities and spiritual answers to life in Iowa. In Raintree Johnny Wickliff Shaughnessy has the secret revealed to him by his childhood sweet-heart; in Labyrinth Johnny Cockfoster has the secret revealed by Isabel Wickett. These Wickliffs and Wicketts and raintrees and labyrinths and twenty-year-old heroes making a quintessential discovery, in the same terms is probably Just an accident of the typewriter; but comparisons arise. Duncan is not ""literary."" He summons up nostalgic scenes of band concerts and baseball, games and, pugilistic occasions with obvious relish and heart. The main story is a Romeo and Juliet affair between opposing families, and of course there is a dark Lulu who steals Johnny's innocence while he dreams of Isabel. Gauge of the town's secrets is the old general practitioner, a kind of chorus throughout, hallmarking every sin whether it belongs to Lux, Fels, All, Duz, Dash, Dove or Ad. For ladies hellbent to the laundromat.

Pub Date: May 12, 1967

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1967

Categories: FICTION