I am so very glad that I was intrigued, embarrassed, teased, intimidated, and frankly pushed into continuing on with this novel. It is a true delight for the mind and ear.
They also did not hesitate to promise him sides of hairy bacon, the mainstay and the staff of life of the country classes, and lamb-chops still succulent with young blood, autumn-heavy yams from venerable stooping trees, bracelets and garlands of browned sausages and two baskets of peerless eggs fresh-collected, a waiting hand under the hen’s bottom. (p. 184)
Sight, scent, taste, touch, and hearing (if read aloud); all senses fully satisfied by the above which is just a small portion of a scenario in which the travelers (Pooka, the Good Fairy, cowboys, etc.) are simply attempting to "beguile" a man into walking on his own two feet.
In the meantime, at least two separate conversational threads are still going on among the members of the group, and from there (hypertext alive and well!) the discussions can turn off onto a different path on a single word. This is such a touch of realism (think of your own conversations with friends) smack dab in the middle of a totally unreal setting (monster, fairy, cowboys in a strange land of jungle and thorns).
Absolutely delightful.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
errrr, okay. Marcel Proust has nothing on your willingness to parade down the dalliance of epicurean imagery. Oh, I suppose someone eventually conducted a conversational thread, after their self-swoon.
ahem. ;/
I was hungry at the time of reading.