''And the Ass Saw the Angel'' is the first novel by Australian musician and singer Music/NickCave, relating the story of a deeply disturbed mute named Euchrid Eucrow. Born to an [[AbusiveParents abusive mother and a father obsessed with animal torture and trap-building]], Euchrid’s existence as an outcast in a valley inhabited by religious fanatics drives him further down the slope of madness, flooding him with religious visions until he finally turns on the people who made his life hell.
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!!Tropes:
* AdaptationExpansion: The novel started life as Music/TheBirthdayParty’s song “Swampland”, which depicted the protagonist’s death.
* CannibalClan: Euchrid’s father defected from such a clan; rather than killing and eating people, he now tortures animals [[spoiler:and eventually stabs his wife to death]].
* CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon: Euchrid’s father threatens to [[Film/FullMetalJacket rip off his head and shit down his neck]].
* DeepSouth: The novel is set in the vile hick town of Ukulore, founded by a psychotic prophet, where the average family tree is a wreath and the default mental state is either blackout drunk or pious sadist.
* EnfantTerrible: Beth, though Euchrid can’t seem to decide whether or not she’s a demonic witch.
* FunetikAksent: The whole novel is narrated by a nutball from the Deep South.
* {{Mon}}: A creepy variant, wherein Euchrid starts collecting wild animals in cages and teaching them how to fight. He ultimately unleashes them on the town.
* QuicksandSucks: The framing device of the story, as Euchrid relates his tale while sinking into a bog.
* RapeAsBackstory: Euchrid mentions towards the end that he was raped once, but he is already so completely insane that RapeLeadsToInsanity is rendered moot.
* RedemptionInTheRain: Inverted, as the sick town is made worse by several years of greasy rain that kills all the sugar crops.
* SignatureStyle: The novel covers many of Cave’s musical inspirations, like flowers, stomach-churning violence, discussion of literature (often in very unlikely places), and semi-heretical yet extremely pious examinations of religion.
* SouthernGothic: Many of Music/NickCave’s songs are inspired by Southern Gothic themes, so it makes sense that his first novel is in this genre.
* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: While the story first seems to be MagicRealism, the narrator is completely insane, so it is unclear how much is “real” versus happening in his own head.
* VillainousIncest: Euchrid’s father defected from an incestuous clan of cannibalistic serial killers.
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