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shoba's review
3.0
…I felt something change, in me or the world. Such is the power of imaginary made-up borders. For the first time in my life, I began to imagine the possibility of forgiveness. I began to think that maybe I, Margaret Murphy, might be forgiven one day….maybe by me. By me….Maybe I was finally beginning to figure out how to untie the impossible knot of a problem that had tied me up, for all the years of my life….When I finally did find a way to untie that impossible knot, then all the most important questions in life would be answered. Why we love. Why we suffer. How we make sense of the happenings in our lives. The stories we tell ourselves to make it through to the next day. Why we press on, even after all hope is lost.
dinosaursauce's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
noellesimonson's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
5.0
kdowli01's review
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
svmreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of the best books I've ever read! How am I supposed to read another book again?!
jkxmilmom88's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
3.75
lunabean's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? Yes
5.0
HOW many times in our lives can we chance upon a book this extraordinary!!! I’ve never read anything like this, I haven’t felt so sad to finish a book in so long, I wanted to savour it slowly throughout…!! It was so compelling and creative and painful and explores big themes of grief and trauma and hope in a compact 220 pages❤️🩹
Margaret’s earliest memory is of the day her best friend Agnes died when they were 4 years old. No one knows the truth of what happened except Margaret. The tragic incident has since haunted Margaret for a decade - shame, guilt, and grief plaguing her for years, manifested in a creature called Poor Deer that she carries on her neck and back, burdened and terrified. She grows up haunted by what she’s done, bearing the rumours of the town, and the gradual withdrawal of her mother’s presence and love.
Under the scathing, reproachful eye of Poor Deer, 16 year old Margaret is penning down the truth of the day her friend Agnes died, but she has difficulty differentiating reality from the made-up stories she has been telling herself. Poor Deer is breathing warm air down her neck, chastising her for her “wicked ways” and forcing her to face the truth of that traumatic incident. For years, Margaret has oscillated between alternative happy endings and painful honesty, revealing her desire to control the narrative while she shoulders the burden of her decade-long sorrow over losing her friend.
This story boldly shows us humanity, the many ways a child is dear, and the power of forgiveness and hope. I found Margaret to be very loveable, largely because the writer did such a great job depicting the evolution of the thoughts and emotions of a confused 4 year old girl grappling with trauma and big feelings, to a wiser 16 year old girl finally courageous enough to forgive herself.
The writing is simple, honest, and beautiful, the sentences short but so evocative and powerful. I was immersed throughout and I couldn’t see this story written in any other way. What an incredible, moving book I WANT TO READ THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN😭😭😭
Margaret’s earliest memory is of the day her best friend Agnes died when they were 4 years old. No one knows the truth of what happened except Margaret. The tragic incident has since haunted Margaret for a decade - shame, guilt, and grief plaguing her for years, manifested in a creature called Poor Deer that she carries on her neck and back, burdened and terrified. She grows up haunted by what she’s done, bearing the rumours of the town, and the gradual withdrawal of her mother’s presence and love.
Under the scathing, reproachful eye of Poor Deer, 16 year old Margaret is penning down the truth of the day her friend Agnes died, but she has difficulty differentiating reality from the made-up stories she has been telling herself. Poor Deer is breathing warm air down her neck, chastising her for her “wicked ways” and forcing her to face the truth of that traumatic incident. For years, Margaret has oscillated between alternative happy endings and painful honesty, revealing her desire to control the narrative while she shoulders the burden of her decade-long sorrow over losing her friend.
This story boldly shows us humanity, the many ways a child is dear, and the power of forgiveness and hope. I found Margaret to be very loveable, largely because the writer did such a great job depicting the evolution of the thoughts and emotions of a confused 4 year old girl grappling with trauma and big feelings, to a wiser 16 year old girl finally courageous enough to forgive herself.
The writing is simple, honest, and beautiful, the sentences short but so evocative and powerful. I was immersed throughout and I couldn’t see this story written in any other way. What an incredible, moving book I WANT TO READ THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN😭😭😭
sstansell's review against another edition
4.0
This was very weird but spoke to me in a strange way.
thebookhousegirl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5