The Model
About this book
After Robert Aickman's death in 1981 the manuscript of
The Model, a wintry rococo fable set in Czarist Russia, was located among his papers. Aickman had told a friend he considered this novella to be 'one of the best things I have ever written, if not the very best.' It was duly published for the first time in 1987.
The Model tells of Elena, a grave girl inclined to losing herself in dreams of becoming a student ballerina or
coryphée. Her dolour darkens further when she learns she is to be sold into marital slavery by her father so as to settle the family's debts. Refusing an unendurable future she sets out to the city of Smorevsk to pursue her dream. First, however, she must traverse a landscape crowded by highly curious characters and creatures.
'A must for Aickman fans... A model of eloquent elegant enchantment.' Robert Bloch (
Psycho)
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Landing Page
- Title Page
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Elena sprawled on the hard chair
- Aflame, despite the weather, with conviction
- Elena stole upstairs
- After only a few more days the opera house gleamed like granite
- That same afternoon Elena’s mother asked to see her
- Elena tapped at the study door
- So there was little alternative to Elena setting out
- Tatiana had been asked by Elena
- So winter seemed nearer than ever
- Above the gates were the usual ghastly heads on spikes
- The first person she met was Irash himself
- Fortunately there was a golden fleece or coverlet
- Irash was on his knees again
- After divers further causeries and rallies
- There was no boundary wall
- A peasant and his wife took them in
- “How long were we in the carriage?”
- About an hour later
- Lexi simply took it for granted
- The bright sunshine outside Smorevsk
- They reached the small town
- They entered the large back room
- “Half the pain in the world is caused on purpose”
- All through the evening meal
- “You must share my room”
- And, in the morning
- Such was the breakdown and disorder
- Farewells again!
- The next morning
- The coach was calling very early the next day
- Copyright