Hogg

If the last chapter of Ulysses was similar to Hogg, after Leopold Bloom comes home and kisses his wife on the butt, followed by her diatribe of sexual experiences, shallow dishevelment and betrayal, it would be one of the most disgusting and revolting books in contemporary literature. Hogg cranks up the filth by 100 and carries on from start to finish and therefore has 1% in common with Ulysses.

Hogg, without a doubt, is one of the most disgusting books ever written but is curiously entertaining and even laugh-out loud in places with its constant gobbling, fucking and filth. It cruises on constant climax the whole way through, and because there's no respite or let off you become totally numbed. It's not exactly exciting, but strangely compelling.

Eleven-year-old Cocksucker is willingly abused and sodomized by Hogg and various other people, as well as actively participating in everything himself. Beyond belief, it's only tolerably shocking if you come prepared for very extreme literature and its constant barrage of smut, shit and scat in one ear and out the other.

Endless climaxes, orgasm, rape, incest and murder are simply not possible and betray the book as some sort of misanthropic parody for hatred against the human race. There's no eroticism or excitement, just constant cumming, bumming and shit eating, emphasizing the need to let off the gas to work up steam again. It never lets up in Hogg.

It took me more courage to purchase and begin this book than to actually read it. I buy books and sit on them for a while before delving in, but jumped into Hogg almost immediately to seek out the ultimate shock factor. I got it. Maybe the ultimate monkey to get off your back by subjecting yourself to the ultimate mire? All of that and more, an examination of sickness and how it stacks up against the mainstream.

Why do we believe that infamous books are always badly written, exceptionally awkward and hard to read? Hogg is just fine in that respect, from a talented author hell bent on ruining his reputation, although impossible to recommend because of how disgusting and messed up it is, but from a technical perspective it's fine. In fact, it's an interesting and enjoyable read in parts.

If you read Hogg with zero expectations, take it in bite-size chunks and spit it back out again, it's an eye opening experience because of its sordidness, lack of likeable characters, little or no plot and no life-affirming or devastating message to justify its scum.

Why bother then? To say you've read it. To experience the very bottom of the barrel. I reached 82% before finally rolling my eyes at enough being enough, so it's definitely got something? Hogg isn't technically bad, just relentless in its desire to shock and revolt for zero reward.