Nightmare Alley book review

I first heard of the Nightmare Alley book after I had watched the 1947 film version on an old Film Noir presentation on television. It was an engaging movie, but it was also a little disturbing to watch. So the next morning, I browsed online for this book, and I bought it! So, was the book better than the movie? Read our Nightmare Alley book review and banter to find out.

Before we embark on our Nightmare Alley book review and banter, please be assured that we will not reveal the surprise ending, and will not reveal any important plot twists-and-turns. This is not a book report—just an honest representation of the reviewer’s thoughts and conclusions.

Nightmare Alley was written by the excellent but relatively unknown author named William Lindsay Gresham. The author published the book in 1946, just after the end of World War II.

Throughout his life, the author felt tormented by his addiction to alcohol. In Nightmare Alley, the author used his extensive knowledge of psychology, as well as his own personal demons and experiences, to bring the characters in this dark novel to life.

His book, Nightmare Alley, was not the first book I had read by this talented author. When I was a very young teenager, I had read his biography about the life of Harry Houdini. That book was one of the first and one of the best in-depth studies about the famous magician.

Even back then, I remember how impressed I was with this author’s engaging writing style and his ability to convey the deeper motivations, astounding successes, as well as the tragedies in Houdini’s life. It was such a great book, that I have already ordered a new copy. And, I hope to read it one last time, real soon!

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The novel, Nightmare Alley, is a dark, gritty, and disturbing tale about people who worked with, and performed in, travelling carnivals. The language used by the characters was raw, shockingly guttural, but also honestly reflected real life—not only the lives of the carnies, but our real lives, too.

Unsurprisingly, the thoughts of each character touched me and spoke to me so personally. That is only one reason why this novel felt so disturbing.

All of the carnival workers (carnies) in this novel were outcasts. They all had troubled childhoods, and they all suffered from an inability to fit into society.

Otherwise, these misfits were intelligent, talented, and extremely hard-working. Each one sacrificed to be the best at their talent, even if their ‘talent’ was to be a despised carnival geek. After all, no one else was going to take care of them—for these misfits, there were no free lunches, and no free drinks.

Above all, the love of money motivated each character. Without being successful at that goal, they wouldn’t be able to eat or survive.

So, they were skilled at separating other people from their money. In fact, they were predatory, and no one was safe!

The love of money and fame turned into a nightmare alley for many of the carnival workers. In this novel, their lives were tragic, and there were no happy endings.

But, their tragedies are what make this novel so compellingly dark and enthralling.

All the characters in Nightmare Alley were unlikable and, at times, very dishonest. Surprisingly, I was able to empathize with each one—even the most troubled and most despicable!

In this novel, the protagonist was the young Stan Carlisle. He began his life in the carnival as a roustabout. He helped set-up and tear-down the stages, and also helped the performers with their behind-the-scenes preparations.

In addition to being intelligent, Stan was also tall, handsome, and young. He had no trouble attracting women.

Slowly, the author unveiled Stan’s tragic childhood. As we learned about each traumatic event that shaped Stan’s formative years, we begin to understand how this young man—he could never have led a conventional life, along with maintaining a conventional 9-to-5 job.

Sadly, Stan could not form a loving relationship with a woman (or a man), and he would never have been happy to live in a small house surrounded by a white picket fence.

Instead, the lure of quick cash charmed him, and he craved the glowing adoration of a gullible audience. Unfortunately, I was able to empathize with Stan—and that demonstrates the author’s excellent skill!

Zeena was a fortune teller and mentalist. With the help of her husband, Pete, Zeena was skilled at reading a person’s face, hands, gestures, and clothing, to decipher that person’s occupation, level of education, and motivations. Of course, Pete helped supply the ‘answers’, and those ‘answers’ helped Zeena to read each person’s mind during her performance!

Like most of the carnies, Zeena was devoted to her job. She was gifted at persuading audiences to spend money. So, she was intelligently devious, and remorseless. And yet, I could also empathize with Zeena and her flawed personality.

Her husband, Pete, was also devoted to his work. He worked covertly behind-the-scenes to help Zeena read peoples’ minds. Later, Stan would become Pete’s apprentice, and Pete diligently taught Stan all of his mentalist codes.

Unfortunately, Pete, like many of the carnival workers in this novel, was an alcoholic. For Pete, alcohol was his only solace in this dark, disturbing world of life.

For me, Pete was the most likable character, and I also empathized with him. He was hard-working, and was also a very giving and extremely trusting individual. For some reason, he only saw the best in his fellow carnival workers.

The young Molly Cahill was tall, shapely, and very beautiful. During her performances as an electric girl, she was always scantily clad. Of course, her beauty caught Stan’s eye.

However, Molly had a troubled, yet idyllic childhood. As the author slowly revealed, we learn that Molly lived with her handsome, flirtatious father.

While Molly’s father attracted many women to his bedroom, Molly often became a curious observer. Through oblique, evasive language, the author revealed the shocking details of Molly’s youthful experiences.

However, despite Molly’s more adult-like experiences with her father, she was proud to tell everyone that she was an untouched virgin.

I believe Molly was one of the more honest characters in this book, although she was also very naive. In fact, she was devoutly honest and wanted a conventional husband and family. She even wanted children of her own.

As the story progressed, I kind-of felt bad for this character. I could empathize with her hopes of having a more traditional life than what the carnival could offer.

In addition to being an enticing, intelligent woman, Dr. Lilith Ritter was a psychologist. Eventually, she met Stan Carlisle, who had moved on from the carnival and began performing his own mentalist shows.

Dr. Ritter and Stan had a lot in common. They both were attractive people, and both were cunning and conniving. Their relationship was sleazy but selfish, and was a enthralling high-point, or I should say a very engaging low-point, in this story.

Their relationship was the ultimate in fictional noir—so very dark, conniving, and ultimately tragic! But, so very, very deliciously decadent!

Unfortunately, this was the only character in the book that I could not empathize with. I don’t know why, but maybe a psychologist could figure it out for me.

Grindle was a wealthy, self-made industrialist. Because of his business experience and successes, he was skeptical, yet emotionally receptive. Unfortunately, his wealth and deep feelings of guilt made him a perfect ‘mark’ for The Great Stanton (Stan Carlisle).

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Authorities banned Nightmare Alley in the United States because of the novel’s shockingly explicit and guttural language, . For many people, the explicit language was obscene, and the adult content was too audacious and realistic.

In addition, its portrayal of our human nature and existence was too brutal and too honestly bleak.

Throughout the following decades, this book was only available in heavily censored versions. Fortunately, a publisher issued the original, uncensored version again in 2010, and that was the version that I had read for this review.

And yes, Nightmare Alley was bleak and brutal, but it was also honest and realistic in all its portrayals of our flawed human nature.

Predictably, the critical success of this dark novel inspired two movies. One Nightmare Alley film was produced in 1947, one year after the novel’s release.

I saw this movie on a Film Noir presentation. It was in black-and-white, which helped enhance its raw content. However, the film studio homogenized the movie to appeal to a wider audience.

The language was more subdued and the adult content was only hinted-at with winks and covert smiles. And unfortunately for true noir film lovers like me, there was a less tragic, more conventionally happy type of ending.

In addition, there was a 2021 movie release. I never saw this film, but I did watch excerpts—they were grittier, and the atmosphere was more like the novel.

Personally, I think the original novel was much better than both of the movies, despite the good qualities of both works. But, both movies are worth watching, just for the fun of it!

Nightmare Alley enthralled me and gripped me from the very beginning. The author showcased our flawed humanities through each character. I empathized with their tragedies, and I was enthralled as greed and lust overwhelmed the characters. It was an unbelievable, shattering portrayal of our humanity.

So, yes, I highly recommend you read Gresham’s Nightmare Alley!

Eddie Muller from Noir Alley introducing the 1947 movie Nightmare Alley. The movie was really good, but the book was much better.

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TAKEAWAYS:

The novel, Nightmare Alley, is a bleak, twisted portrayal of the lives of travelling carnival workers and performers. They were outcasts and misfits, doing what they could to survive in a brutally bleak and unforgiving world.

Despite the tragedies, you should read this grippingly brilliant example of fictional noir. It is the best and you would enjoy feeling a little ‘disturbed’!

Thanks for reading our Nightmare Alley book review and book banter. If you’ve read this novel, or have been lucky enough to read any other writings by this author, please share your experiences below!

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Content and photos by Doug Martin and Our Book Banter