For readers who relish the thrill of exploring the unexpected, Phillip Kummel’s “Under the Gardiner: A Picture of Today, Written in the 80s” offers a uniquely captivating experience. This novel is a genre-defying blend of the absurd and the profound, weaving together elements of surrealism, humor, and intellectual depth that are rarely found in contemporary literature.
The narrative centers around a sorceress who is omnipresent and omniscient, effortlessly moving between two time periods while dispensing potions at the Wheat Sheaf Tavern. Alongside her is Singh, a character plagued by existential dread, whose journey from Toronto to Vancouver—via the bottom of the ocean—adds a layer of intrigue and reflection to the story. However, rather than getting lost in the specifics, Kummel’s novel is best appreciated for its madcap, anarchic style, which recalls the irreverent and innovative spirit of works like Thomas Pynchon’s “The Crying of Lot 49” or Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five.”
Kummel’s writing is erudite and playful, combining absurd humor with a circus of technology that feels both comical and eerily relevant. The novel’s tapestry includes references to cultural icons like McLuhan and Turing, alongside more unexpected appearances by mathematical figures such as Galois and Gauss. The result is a work that feels filmic, yet it belongs squarely in the information age—a narrative that dances on the edge of madness while offering glimpses of redemption and love.
For those who appreciate the lunacy of a well-crafted absurdist tale, “Under the Gardiner” will resonate as a tour-de-force of the imagination. It’s a book that, much like its literary predecessors, doesn’t just tell a story but creates an entire world—one where the rules are different, the possibilities are endless, and the journey is as important as the destination. If you’re a fan of anarchic narratives that challenge the status quo while providing ample food for thought, Kummel’s novel is sure to be a rewarding read.
Visit the author’s website for a free sample of their previous work.
