"The Hanover Block" by Gregor Xane, 2014
The Hanover Block by Gregor Xane is a novella released in November 2014. I only recently discovered it through a random booktuber's post that was one (1) year old. What made me decide to read it? That's easy, that weird thing on the front cover. Describing what the heck that thing is on the front cover will ruin the story. It's best for you to start the book knowing nothing about it. There is definitely a bizarro genius mindset at work here. I gravitate mostly to science fiction, and there's enough of it here, and this was funny in a seriously warped kind of way.
Marion is an office worker, he catches the bus to and from work, and we live his life, meet his friends, his neighbors. Smoke a joint with him, have a couple of beers, you know the score; while almost unnoticed, his neighborhood is changing in a stealthy, shady fashion from one day to the next. People start behaving strangely; dodgy constructions appear in people's back gardens, from sheds to climbing domes.
It's not until halfway in that we learn about that thing on the front cover and normality leaves on the last train out of fucksville. We're left with what can only be described as a bizarro mindshagging with thoughts, interspersed with laughter along the way. It's buckets of mental fun, and I enjoyed it; just don't let that cover picture put you off.
If you're wondering, Bizarro Fiction is a genre that often uses absurdism, satire, and grotesque elements to create subversive, weird, and entertaining fiction. That describes the Hanover Block perfectly, so approach with an open mind.
And if you need some **SPOILERS** to convince you to pick up the book, the basic premise is those weird fleshy things appear in backyards. Men who encounter them are compelled to stick their penises in them and do nasty things.
I give it a 4.5 out of 5.
#BizarroFiction
