[Unnatural Scenery] whirrs with rapid, centrifugal force, yet gives little indication of the generative impulse behind all the noise—other than possibly an interest in the geographical lore of the state of Virginia.

Marshall Lewis Henderson, the narrator, is one of those larger-than-life figures who is, at best, representative of the world around him and, at worst, an oafish presence. His childhood is depicted from a bewildering variety of angles, featuring elements of gentility and reclusiveness that usually characterize WASP boyhoods; alongside these are contrasting elements of dissipation and familial violence that typify novels dealing with the Southern gentry….

Unnatural Scenery is "antic," which means that believability is sacrificed in the interests of diversity. Canby orchestrates his novel like a ringmaster at a three-ring circus, constantly sparking the flagging attention of his audience with new acts and daredevil performers. The book is admittedly entertaining in parts, yet only...