A study on Clive Barker part 30, Twilight at the Towers.

Welcome to part 30 of my study on Clive Barker. Today, we will be looking at his short story 'Twilight at the Towers.'

Summary: The story, set in Berlin during the Cold War, tells the story of Ballard and his dealings with KBG member named Mironenko. Ballard is a spy for London who is trying to get Mironenko to defect to Britain. Mironenko, however, is really a werewolf (they are not called werewolves in the story but that would be the best way to describe them) who is looking for more of his kind. As the story progresses, Ballard learns that both the Allies and the Soviets have found werewolves and brainwashed them as a way to make them soldiers for them. Ballard is such a soldier. At first, Ballard does believe such a story (would anyone?) until he -under stress- transforms. Ballard, now no longer human, seeks out Mironemko and finds him along with a pack of wolves, werewolves, and things in between. The story ends with Mironemko preaching to from the bible.

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There are some really solid moments in this story, but I feel that the best is the ending. I thought when Ballard goes to the Sanctuary (at the end of the story) had some really great Imagery.

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'...he asked two lovers who were rutting in the shelter of the wall if they knew of a man called Mironenko. The bitch had a smooth and hairless back, and a dozen full teats hanging from her belly.

'Listen,' she said. ' (Clive Barker's Twilight at the Towers, page 96.)

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I really love the above passage; it is so salvaged and raw at the same time.

Also, this story's theme: Being faithless and lost, echoes beautifully. The story starts with Mironenko telling Ballard that he has lost all faith in the world and ends with Mironenko preaching about faith. Throughout the whole story, Ballard also questions his faith (faith in his country, faith in his friends, faith in if what he is doing is right or wrong).

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The last thing I took note of was a new word, Din.

Used as either a noun or verb, it means: (to make) a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.

It is also good to build your vocabulary by finding new words through reading.

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This concludes my look at Twilight at the Towers.'' If you have a thought or a question, please leave a like or comment!

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