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yekelekey's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kaitoro_walker13's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Just a great book. Great characters, Tama is brilliant.
holly_h_b_'s review
3.0
I was excited by the premise of this book, but I don’t think it delivered for two reasons.
First, though it’s narrated by Tama the magpie, this often felt really forced because Chidgey kept slipping back into an obviously human voice/perspective. Eg. at the beginning when Tama is still a chick he refers to the sky as a blue coin, describes things as dandelions - but he’s never seen a coin or a dandelion! This might come across nit-picky, and I might not have minded it so much if it didn’t keep happening.
Second, the whole human plot just felt really half-hearted and predictable. I think if you’re gonna do something like have a human woman adopt a magpie as a surrogate child, you should go really balls to the walls with it, or at least try to subvert some expectations.
First, though it’s narrated by Tama the magpie, this often felt really forced because Chidgey kept slipping back into an obviously human voice/perspective. Eg. at the beginning when Tama is still a chick he refers to the sky as a blue coin, describes things as dandelions - but he’s never seen a coin or a dandelion! This might come across nit-picky, and I might not have minded it so much if it didn’t keep happening.
Second, the whole human plot just felt really half-hearted and predictable. I think if you’re gonna do something like have a human woman adopt a magpie as a surrogate child, you should go really balls to the walls with it, or at least try to subvert some expectations.
mackinnonanna's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
hayleyjames24's review
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
thereadingparamedic's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Axeman's Carnival is an unusual novel in that the story is told to us from the point of view of a magpie, Tama. Taken in by Marnie as a young chick and hand reared, Tama continues to live permanently with Marnie and her husband, Rob.
The novel covers some very serious themes, including coercive control and domestic violence, so you may wish to read up on this should these be topics you may struggle to read. Though it can be a tough read in places, I do think Catherine Chidgey really captured how it can feel to be controlled by a partner, and the defensive way in which people who are under such control can act.
Social media is also a big part of the story, covering both the ups and downs of going viral and having your life lived out for the world to see. On this aspect, it is a very timely novel and it was a perfectly timed read for me based on how I have been feeling about social media myself recently.
Catherine Chidgey is a brilliant writer, building the tension to a very climactic end. The Axeman's Carnival is a very unique novel and if you can deal with its themes, then it's a thumbs up from me!
The novel covers some very serious themes, including coercive control and domestic violence, so you may wish to read up on this should these be topics you may struggle to read. Though it can be a tough read in places, I do think Catherine Chidgey really captured how it can feel to be controlled by a partner, and the defensive way in which people who are under such control can act.
Social media is also a big part of the story, covering both the ups and downs of going viral and having your life lived out for the world to see. On this aspect, it is a very timely novel and it was a perfectly timed read for me based on how I have been feeling about social media myself recently.
Catherine Chidgey is a brilliant writer, building the tension to a very climactic end. The Axeman's Carnival is a very unique novel and if you can deal with its themes, then it's a thumbs up from me!
kjm111's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kaila_robertson's review
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
festivus's review
challenging
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Inventive, strongly plotted evocation of rural New Zealand.
totalspan's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Writing from the POV of an animal creates a real slew of considerations around how they perceived the world, and how they express it to the reader. I think Cidgy really nails it here with Tama. The portrayal of a failing farm in the high country is similarly specific and perfect. There's a real variety of dialogue with different characters from different backgrounds, expressed through various media - and they're all distinctive and satisfying. I would have preferred a clearer delineation between magic/realism, and the pacing felt a bit off: stretched at the beginning and rushed at the end. Overall a great, if harrowing, time.