Touring the Sorcerer's House

The Sorcerer's House by Gene Wolfe comes highly reviewed by both Neil Gaiman and John C. Wright, so there's little I can add of any critical merit. I will say that I deeply enjoyed the book.

Wolfe makes the bold and unorthodox choice to structure his novel in epistolary form (a series of letters between protagonist Bax Dunn and his colorful cast of family and friends). Since The Sorcerer's House is, among other things, a mystery, this approach serves the narrative well; causing enough chronological uncertainty and giving the author good reason to omit enough information to keep readers on their toes.

The symbolism is thick and rich here: especially the theme of objects, events, and people coming in twos. I dimly suspected that the whole book has a dualistic structure on my first reading, but I'll have to read it again to be sure.

All is certainly not as it seems. The main character immediately establishes himself as an unreliable narrator: a con man recently released from prison who nonetheless holds multiple advanced degrees and conducts himself in a cordial, erudite manner.

The novel's tone is generally tongue-in-cheek and understated, though there are certainly moments of genuine pathos and surreal horror. The Sorcerer's House is urban fantasy/gothic mystery with a heart. Don't go in expecting a parable on contemporary issues or a hero dispensing justice. This tale is told for its own sake--the best reason of all.