M John Harrison’s The Course of the Heart is a novel so imbued with mystery and the occult that it is being reissued by Serpent’s Tail 20 years after its initial release. When Harrison first introduces the trio, Pam, Lucas and the narrator – whose misery, confusion and commitment to one another will become the backbone to this strange novel – the reader is uncertain on what they are embarking on and even as the group become deeper entwined with whatever is haunting them that mystery remains. All that can be truly known is that whatever event the three students took part in has marked their lives forever.
Harrison’s cult-like status as an author is due in large part to his refusal to give away all the answers, or hardly any for that matter. This feels sometimes befuddling to those of us accustomed to the literalism that forms the building blocks for almost every new film, show and book on the market today, but it is a beautiful challenge. We’re helped by the fact that Harrison’s prose is so enchanting that readers will find themselves rapt in awe even as the answers evade them.
For those looking for a novel in which all queries will be diligently answered and wrapped up like the end of an episode of Doctor Who, put Harrison’s masterpiece down. For those who relish in the magic instead of looking for the strings, you might just have found your new favourite author.
The Course of the Heartby M John Harrison is out now (Profile, £10.99). You can buy it from the Big Issue shop on bookshop.org, which helps to support Big Issue and independent bookshops.
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