The Resort
by Bentley Little
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bentley LittleEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-09-07
ISBN: 0451212800
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Signet
Book Reviews of The Resort
Book Review: "We're afraid of the consequences"
Summary: 4 Stars
I recently discovered with some horror that it's been nearly two years since I spent any time with a Bentley Little novel. I read "The Policy" back in late 2003, bought "The Resort" shortly after it came out in late 2004, and then went off to read and watch other things. Well, I decided to sit down a day or so ago and finally read "The Resort." I'm glad I did. Once again, this book highlights this particular author's penchant for viciously skewering mundane activities and institutions we Americans take for granted. He did the same thing with the U.S. Postal Service in "The Mailman," higher education in "The University," neighborhood associations in "The Association," chain stores in "The Store," and insurance companies with "The Policy." Now the resort industry takes a shot on the chin in a novel that is both horrific and highly amusing. It's classic Bentley Little here, a book loaded with unsettling gore, torture, and the sort of general nastiness that makes you stop and say, "Did he really just say that?" It is also, unfortunately, a book that falls prey to one of this author's greatest flaws, namely his tendency to drop the ball when wrapping up the story.
The Reata is one of the country's premier resorts, a getaway for the rich and famous boasting a great number of amenities. Guests can lounge by the outdoor pool all day, a pool with a waterfall, slide, and diving boards. If patrons feel the need to work off the pounds, they can take laps in the indoor pool or make use of the state of the art weight room. Two restaurants, the Grille and the Saguaro Room, cater to the guests every whim when it comes to dining out. Tennis courts, hiking trails, a movie theater, saunas, a helicopter pad--you name it, the Reata seems to have it. The resort has a world-class chef who grows his own fruits, vegetables, and spices in a garden. They have people opening doors for guests, and they have a friendly staff always willing to tackle any problem that might arise. Perhaps the Reata's greatest appeal lies in its inaccessibility: the resort sits out in the Arizona desert miles from the nearest town. For the captains of industry and celebrities seeking to escape temporarily from the stresses of high-pressure careers, such remoteness must surely carry great appeal. But these rich customers only arrive during the harsh winter months. During the summer, when the desert heat soars to intolerable levels, the management slashes prices in order to draw in a less distinguished clientele. Enter the Thurman family.
Lowell Thurman, his wife Rachel, and his three sons Owen, Curtis, and Ryan arrive for a five-day stay and soon discover that this wonderful getaway hides sinister secrets. The problems start almost immediately when the staff accidentally double books one of the family's rooms. Other suspicious incidents quickly follow, including a strange apparition in the swimming pool, a decidedly unpleasant evening at the Grille, the growing hostility of the staff, and the downright weird goings on at the indoor swimming pool. Then there are the games organized by the activities coordinator, a fellow who goes by the name of Rockne, that quickly turn the resort into a seething cauldron of class warfare. One would think such frightening (and increasingly horrific) events would send the patrons scurrying for the door. Think again. For some unexplainable reason, every terrible incident rapidly fades from the minds of the guests almost as soon as they are encountered. It's obvious that something evil, something powerful and ancient, is working tirelessly to destroy the Reata's customers. It soon falls on the shoulders of the Thurman family to discover what this evil is and how to destroy it. In particular, the psychically perceptive son Ryan will play a central role in uncovering this terror from beyond time and space.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. I had so much fun, in fact, that I can't help but compare "The Resort" to "The Store," the Little book that I consider his best work to date. The same elements are in play here: a typical American family caught up in events beyond their control, an emphasis on the destructive tendencies of conformity and groupthink, and a willingness to craft scenes that are simultaneously hilarious and disturbing. "The Resort," as with many of Little's books, spends a substantial amount of time simply describing how the family interacts in order to show us their essential "averageness." This allows most of us to immediately empathize with them and their impending predicament. And the tendency of these characters to explain away the unfolding weirdness, or to fall in quickly with the rest of the pack, is a subversive slap at the fundamental American belief that we are a nation of independent thinkers. Little recognizes that we're mostly sheep who are more than willing to follow others into the pits of hell rather than stand up and take charge of a situation, which in and of itself can be a rather terrifying realization.
But it's the last point, the disturbing yet funny scenes, that move to the fore in this author's novel. The outrageousness of karaoke night at the Grille, the warped golf game witnessed by one of the secondary characters, and the resort sponsored competitions that quickly devolve into gladiatorial death matches will have you busting a gut even as you shudder at the implications of such incidents. On several occasions I simply put down the book and laughed out loud. I'm not sure every reader will share my enthusiasm for Little's unusual take on horror, but "The Resort" is a good place to start if you're interested in discovering what this author is all about. Only the ending, which feels rushed and is typical of this writer's work, mars an otherwise excellent work. Highly recommended.
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