DROOD, mystery of

DROOD, a recent novel of immense size by Dan Simmons, purports to tell the story of the relationship between Charles Dickens and fellow author Wilkie Collins (THE MOONSTONE, WOMAN IN WHITE, etc.). Told through Collins' narration, it reveals some biographical details of Dickens (he walked fast, about 4 mph, on daily strolls of 10-20 miles), was somewhat vain, etc. But about Collins the book is savage: according to this, Collins, an opium and morphine addict, hated just about everyone and loved nobody--except, perhaps, Dickens...with whom he had a serious case of competitive envy and ended up plotting to kill Dickens...and did, in an opium dream.

Which reveals the most serious flaw in the book: we cannot believe much of what Collins tells us. In fact, it seems that Dickens had mesmerized Collins (aided by the daily doses of opium) into believing in the existence of a supernatural creature named Drood.

Drood and Collins introduce us to many scenes of horror: rotting corpses, hideous murders, scary things in the dark, etc. But none or all of it may be real. 

I couldn't read the whole book: I read the first 150 pages, then skipped and rambled through the rest until reading the last part, where Collins dies in a horror-filled dream.

Pfui.