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Cover of Pretty Poli

Novel

Pretty Poli

or: Monsieur Perroquet's descent from a high perch

In this second volume of Richard Craven’s Bristolian Chronicles, meet dissipated parrot architect Hawksmoor Perroquet as he arrives in Bristol and promptly succumbs to a ketamine frenzy at the Anarchist Bookfair, during which he sells his wife, brainless budgerigar Arabella Melopsittica, and their egg to a passing ornithologist.

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Published
4 October 2024
ISBN
979-8285377597
Chapters
57
In the book
215 entries

Overview

ENTER RICHARD CRAVEN'S BRISTOL ONCE MORE - A DARKLY COMIC URBAN MAZE WHERE WILDLY ABSURD MISADVENTURES COLLIDE WITH SHARP WIT, UNEXPECTED REVERSALS, AND A SPLASH OF THE MACABRE.

Prompted by his remorse to eschew equine tranquilizers, in his newfound sobriety he commences his ascent of the greasy pole of human endeavour. His progress towards the dizzy heights of the Bristol Mayoralty is aided by the machinations of depressive provincial merchant banker Sir Hearty Luncheon, but then his wife and presumed daughter rematerialise, precipitating his usurpation by genial Scottish crow Ian Corby, and a headlong descent into drugs and disgrace.

Equally recalling the grandiosity of Greek tragedy and the squalor of low burlesque satire, Pretty Poli ploughs the Bristolian grand guignol furrow sown by the similarly lewd but literary Amoeba Dick.

Reviewed in

Cover of Obscura Literaria Obscura Literaria Review by Euphemia Vexwell In Pretty Poli, Richard Craven conjures a world where the avian and the human collide in a grotesque ballet of ambition, vanity, and inevitable ruin. Read the review →

People in this book

See all 39 in People with their descriptions

Places in this book

See all 85 in Places with their descriptions

Organisations in this book

See all 8 in Organisations with their descriptions

Artefacts in this book

See all 27 in Artefacts with their descriptions

Glossary in this book

See all 51 in Glossary with their descriptions

Chapters

  1. Front matter
  2. Prologue
  3. Animal Rationis Capax
  4. Festina Abruptio in Contubernio Morbi
  5. Animal Rationis Capax Otiose Paenitet
  6. Fortius Penna Quam Gladius
  7. Symposium Deorum in Olympo
  8. Avis Consilium ut Aqua in Rectum Introferatur Tractat
  9. Praefectus Urbanus Manu Mercurii Epistolam Accipit
  10. Psittacus Oculos Medusae Evadit, Magum Sequitur
  11. Inter Corvus et Psittacus, Fraternitas
  12. Apud Aves Varias
  13. Lotium Sabulorum
  14. Foramina Molesta
  15. Scaenae in Vita Coniugale
  16. Inter Latrones, Ignominia
  17. Consilium Inter Dui Aves et Scytha
  18. Consilium De Incitamento
  19. M.Licinius Crassus, Vir Triumphalis
  20. Consul Uxorius
  21. Consul Uxorissimus
  22. Calpurnia Imaginabatur Per Quietem Se Mariti Trucidati Corpus in Ulnis Tenere atque Deplorare
  23. Consul Consilium Corvi Quaeret
  24. Non Populi Prandia ab Ambitiosis Comedenda Sunt
  25. Quaestiones Subtilissimae
  26. Barbari ad Portas
  27. Tres Veneficae, et Ignis Fatuus
  28. Iterum Consul Consilium Corvi Quaeret
  29. Mulier Nunc Se Continet atque Tres Tantum Res Anxius Optat, Panem et Circenses et Clysmum
  30. Mors Calpurniae
  31. Testamentum Calpurniae
  32. Incipit Ruina Psittaci
  33. Candor Columbinae
  34. M.Licinius Crassus in Provincia Televidet
  35. Fiat Justitia Ruat Psittacum
  36. Animal Rationis Capax Rationem Relinquet
  37. Psittacus Apud Dominum Vaginae
  38. Psittacus Ex Paradiso
  39. De Epistolis Inter Psittacum et Columbinam
  40. Ganymede Apud Bracchia Acridotheris
  41. Matrimonia Inter Corvum et Columbinam; Epicinium
  42. Fructus Coniurationis Catilinae
  43. Aeolus Apud M.Licinius Crassus
  44. E Theatro Puparum, Incipit Bacchanalia
  45. Per Charivarium Ignominia, Ita Sequitur Columbinae Prostratio
  46. Vulgus Consulem ad Eius Effigiem Introduxit
  47. Medica Animalium Alteram Avem Occidit
  48. Oratio Corvi Consulis Ad Profanum Vulgus
  49. Reconciliationis Inter Psittacum Suamque Filiam, Etiam Pupilla Apud Socium Supposita Sit
  50. Ubi Nomen Civis in Indicis Proscriptionis Scriptum Erat, Civis Statim Necatus Est
  51. Stultitiae Iuventi Psittacique
  52. Nuntius Nuptiarum Inter Corvum et Pupillam; Quaestio Subtillissima de Habitatione Psittaci
  53. De Rebus Futuris Domini Vaginae
  54. Ave M.Licinius Crassus, Atque Vale
  55. Nuptiae Inter Augustum Imperatorem Et Liviam Drusillam
  56. Tragica Ignominia Psittaci
  57. Tragica Mors Psittaci

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