BookieMonster’s Unappreciated Classics No. 2 : Under the Skin by Michel Faber

Most people know Michel Faber through his doorstopper historical novel The Crimson Petal and the White – and rightly so, as it’s a brilliant example of historical fiction. But before he wrote and published that title he produced Under the Skin – a work of such compelling and shocking creepiness that it puts the more well-known horror names (Stephen King, Dean Koontz, etc) to total shame.

Under the Skin starts with Isserley, a seemingly awkward and but erotically appealing woman, trawling roads in the Scottish highlands, looking for hitchhikers who meet her fairly precise physical specifications. So far, so good, so mystery/thriller. But then the weirdness starts. There are odd descriptions of Isserley’s physical body and her relation to it, and disconcerting hints at a wider story – Isserley lives on a farm but seems so isolated from the others that live around her and work with her in her abductions of men. Soon we are hearing of the imminent arrival of an Amlis Vess, which is making Isserley, and others, very anxious.

I won’t ruin this amazing story with a total spoiler, suffice to say that when the denouement and the truth of what’s happening in the world of this book are revoltingly revealed it is an image that will stay with you for a very long time. The writing is sparse and tense, but Faber manages to retain a lyricism in his descriptions. It’s cliched, but in this case very true - this book will grip you and won’t let go until the end. I’ve never read a book quite like it – it truly is unique and highly recommended.