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jackdziatkowiec's review
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-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? No
3.75
Thrilling and unconventional. I have so many questions. Death and rebirth play key roles, I think.
kennedien's review
4.0
Such great writing. A surreal story that keeps getting more and more odd. In a great way.
ehstraus's review
3.25
i wish there had been more of the conversations between the rabbit and tristan - the different perspectives on love and humanity. i also really liked tristan’s innocence and his goodness even as he tried to assimilate and “masculinize” himself. absolutely loved how as the storm progressed all the characters were literally taking off their clothes/layers and revealing their misdeeds and true natures
thebrianv's review
4.0
Interesting story. Fast paced, short chapters. I'm sure I didnt fully grasp the philosophical point of the story, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
emmc's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
ellethinks's review
4.0
A strange novella about a young man who goes on a hunting trip for the first time with some other men from the village he lives in. This narrative bounces between the hunting trip, his life growing up, and other individuals in the village as a storm wreaks havoc.
There is a plot, but that is not the main driver of the book. It's a meditation on humanity and how a life can be lived or wasted. One mode of conveying this is through a conversation occurring between the protagonist and a rabbit he accidentally shot. I especially enjoyed these aspects of the narrative and had wished there had been more of it.
The translation was done beautifully and I will be keeping an eye out for any other works Christiana Hills translates in the future.
There is a plot, but that is not the main driver of the book. It's a meditation on humanity and how a life can be lived or wasted. One mode of conveying this is through a conversation occurring between the protagonist and a rabbit he accidentally shot. I especially enjoyed these aspects of the narrative and had wished there had been more of it.
The translation was done beautifully and I will be keeping an eye out for any other works Christiana Hills translates in the future.
literaryinfatuation's review
3.0
“Initially, he doesn’t try to understand or translate the words Hector pronounces, which aren’t really words, but garlands - indivisible, twisted, undulating, turbulent, without beginning or end. Tristan tries above all else to convince his body that the new shapes around him must become as familiar as the ones he left behind”. - Agnès Desarthe, Hunting Party.
Have you ever had a feeling when picking up a book that has been accumulating dust on your shelves that you wished you’d have picked it up sooner? I received this ARC of Hunting Party by Agnès Desarthe sometime in 2018 and just picked up now. Oh what a mistake! I loved it! I wish I had read it sooner. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age story about a French boy whose mother dies and he’s sent to London. I love how the author describes that sense of loss at encountering a new language and a foreign culture. And the fact that the main character is called Tristan is no coincidence. I found many similarities with the old epic but I won’t spoil it for you. If you want to read more women, and more fiction translated by women. This is a good pick. Short, funny and easy. A very charming read.
Have you ever had a feeling when picking up a book that has been accumulating dust on your shelves that you wished you’d have picked it up sooner? I received this ARC of Hunting Party by Agnès Desarthe sometime in 2018 and just picked up now. Oh what a mistake! I loved it! I wish I had read it sooner. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age story about a French boy whose mother dies and he’s sent to London. I love how the author describes that sense of loss at encountering a new language and a foreign culture. And the fact that the main character is called Tristan is no coincidence. I found many similarities with the old epic but I won’t spoil it for you. If you want to read more women, and more fiction translated by women. This is a good pick. Short, funny and easy. A very charming read.
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