Book Review – The Inferior

Author: Peadar O Guilin
Publisher: David Fickling Books/Random House
Binding: Hardcover
Publication Date: June 2008

Peadar O Guilin takes the reader out of their comfort zone with The Inferior. This is the story of a young man who learns the hard way that things are not always what they seem, and you should be careful what you ask for because you might just get it. Stopmouth, so called because of his stutter, is a strong young hunter whose only ambitions are to make his family proud, find him a wife and start a family of his own. Holding him back are several things, his stutter is always a stumbling block, making others not take him seriously and making him less interested in social interaction. Stopmouth also has more attraction to his brother’s new wife than is seemly. Additionally, his brother’s latest reckless scheme has created a rift between them that may never be mended. But, O Guilin obviously feels that there isn’t enough stress in Stopmouth’s life because there is tossed in the arrival of beautiful stranger and some radical changes in the world around them.

O Guilin is exploring many things in this story. To begin with the title, The Inferior, this could be a comment on the fact that the characters do not agree on who is inferior to the other. This occurs with the two main characters, Stopmouth and Idriana who each believe that the other is their inferior. This could also be a comment on the idea of inferiority itself – depending upon the definition you put on the word, you could consider the Diggers (which would be the overwhelming evil of the story) to be superior to all the characters because eventually they will be all that remains, thus making all of the ‘human’ characters their inferior. Additionally, playing with the word inferior, the author could be saying that those observing from outside should not presume to judge that because they are not the observed, that they are superior. This could also apply to the reader – we are duly cautioned to not judge others unless we could take a walk in their shoes.

What else could the author be exploring? The nature of relationships across cultures is one theme. The strength and capriciousness of familial bonds is another. The author takes a simple coming of age story and gives it so many obstacles that poor Stopmouth is quite lucky that he comes of age at all. And this he certainly does. He puts his life on the line for others who not only consider him to be inferior, but to be repulsive. Since they need his knowledge and experience, they cannot refuse his offer of help. With simple honor, respect and integrity, Stopmouth shows them that inferiority is in the eye of the beholder.

Did I truly enjoy the story? Certainly I was rooting for Stopmouth and wanted him to prevail, but at the same time I both pitied him and was revolted by his actions. This is where the problem arises when you take the reader outside of their comfort zone. They are no longer comfortable. They are forced to think, take sides, and make personal choices from poor options. Once we are there, we are more focused on how we react to the story than how the story is played out. The story was well written, and considering the secret the author was keeping that was probably a much more difficult task than it would be for a straightforward story. I only found one point I would have quibbled with the author over and it was not a major one. Other minor issues were just with background and scenery and truly did not affect my connection with this novel. I can think of two major influences that could have inspired this novel and while they were both well done, I feel that Peadar O Guilan took it a step further and made the reader both uncomfortable and thoughtful at the same time. This book is designed for a younger audience and while there are some instances of violence and some rather gruesome imagery, I find that it still fits for both a younger and older audience. For a good story and a more extreme take on an older idea, I give this one an 8, though I doubt that I will be rereading this one any time soon.

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