Reviews

The Axeman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey

mystery_jb's review

challenging emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

minabix's review

Good and very well written with a cool imaginative magpie perspective, but at the same time kinda depressing - the uncomfortable bullying mum/escalating domestic abuse made it too stressful for me to want to read on.
I also felt like everyone talked in the same voice - it suited some characters, but it was definitely jarring to hear evocative monologues from the blokey husband, which took me out of the story.

lbooks's review

dark funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

rebeccagrnwd's review

adventurous dark emotional funny tense

5.0

vanessa_n's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

melissyteapot73's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny tense medium-paced

5.0

arhdees's review

challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

vmiller's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

rorycb's review

5.0

Absolutely brilliant. Very funny, poignant and the choice to tell the novel entirely from the point of few of the magpie a genius decision and a remarkable feat of imagination.

Extremely deserving winner of the Fiction prize at this year's NZ Book awards.

biblioph1le's review

dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0