A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories by Leonard Cohen

‘It is a general rule of the hierarchy that the slave should not go better robed than the master.’

A friend introduced me to the music of Leonard Cohen (thank you Susan L). I have lots of his music now, and some of his poetry on my shelves. When I saw that ‘A Ballet of Lepers’ had been published, I knew I had to read it: an unpublished early novel, fifteen short stories and a play script.

So, I sat down with this book, put my Leonard Cohen playlist on in the background, and travelled into some uncomfortable places. The pieces in this collection were written between 1956 and 1961 and are dark and challenging. The toxic relationships in ‘A Ballet of Lepers’ had me wanting to look away but unable to do so. I disliked the main character, was haunted by his actions, and wondered if he was redeemable. And the ending? Too neat.

The short stories held my attention while I was reading them, but they will quickly fade from my memory as will the play script.

While I am glad I read these stories, I prefer my memories of Leonard Cohen to be through his poems and songs. They are often dark enough. I wonder if Leonard Cohen would be pleased that these works have been published?

Jennifer Cameron-Smith