Hermetic Library fellow T Polyphilus reviews Prayer-Cushions of the Flesh by Robert Irwin

This speedy little novel (which nevertheless takes plenty of time to smell the roses) seems almost like a tale for The Arabian Nights written by Franz Kafka. The cover blurb justifiably brags of its inclusion of “sex with men, women, fairies and alligators.” The protagonist is an Ottoman imperial prince, and the story gives an account of his first few days of interacting with women, after having been imprisoned for his whole life with his brothers.

Given the peculiar tone of the ending, I couldn’t help but wonder about the ways it might be interpreted as a fable, or even an allegory. [via]