I had always heard about Katherine Dunn's Geek Love but had never read it, figuring it was about a bunch of booger-eating Star Trek fans that fell in love over the Internet while listening to Yes. I couldn't have been more wrong. Instead, Dunn's novel focuses on the Bineski's, a family that breed freaks for their traveling circus-show. Opening with the story of Miranda, a stripper with a tail situated "just above her round buttocks," Dunn not only piques the reader's interest but insured that all SCORPS, even Shackleton, would give the book a chance.
As young Miranda grapples about whether or not to have her tail surgically removed by the controlling do-gooder Mrs. Lick, the story of her family is revealed by the aging Oly, a diminutive hunchbacked dwarf. Oly recounts the fantastic and disturbing history of her Bineski clan, including about how her parents' created their children's' deformities with hopes of superior freakdom; the bickering of her ultra-flexible Siamese twins sisters, Elly and Iphy; the cult created by her power-hungry, fish-like brother Arturo aka Arty; and the mind-bending healing and destructive powers of her seemingly innocent younger brother, Chick. It's a truly American tale, like a literary National Enquirer story about the fame-mongering Hilton sisters combined with the saga of the megalomaniacs in the Kennedy clan and a good helping of the melodrama that surrounded the violently talented Michael Jackson and his wack family.
There is no doubting Dunn's skill as a writer and storyteller. And while all of these bizarre characters and their sibling rivalries make for the perfect set up to a novel, many of the Scorps, myself included, thought the book got bogged down in its middle third as Dunn focused her attention too much on Arty and his followers. By the time the dramatic conclusion of Miranda and Mrs. Lick's disturbing relationship rolled around, I found myself struggling to care what happened to the tail and the sweet ass to which it belonged.
Still, despite not falling in love with Dunn's pacing, Geek Love did provide a host of spirited discussion among the Scorps. I mean, how many books out there could let you ask a questions like, "Would you rather do a girl with a tail or some bendy Siamese twins?" or "If you could have a superpower but had to have a grotesque physical deformity to get it, would you do it?" at your next book club meeting.
Speaking of the meeting, due to the birth of the first Scorp offspring, Tanaka was awarded a home game in the North End. And, in fitting with the book's title and themes, the Scorp decided to put their mad scientist-like brains to the test and entered a local pub quiz. Fueled by a large quantity of cheap beer, paint fumes and the Spaniard's innate knowledge of 80s and 90s sit-com characters, the Scorps roared into a tie for second place. With a chance for a spot in the final hinging on one tie-breaking question, the SCORPS (OK, mostly me) low-balled the answer and blew their chance at victory. But, in true Scorpion fashion, instead of turning on each other, we rightfully accused the other team of using the Internet to cheat and came out, as usual, smelling like roses.
