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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
"you can't be sure that beasts aren't people, or that people aren't just another type of beast"
Love. The first couple vignettes really messed with me since they are so transparently allegorical for different elements of human emotion, and it was all so visceral. But the book settles into a slightly more comfortable groove that is equal parts intriguing, tense, joyous, and insightful. There is a bit of a bait and switch going on here since the symbols we’re encouraged to focus on early don’t end up being the most compelling pieces, and that makes the themes that arise in the second half more interesting (to me). A pretty quick read, and has many layers.
i might be a little too obsessed with this book. gripped my heart and wrung it out in so many ways. it's not without its weird bits, but my god did i love listening to the audiobook like some magic spell was cast over me. emily woo zeller was the perfect narrator to bring this story to life. rtc.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Melancholic, strange and lovely. A little one-note, but I'm sure I would have gotten more from it if I knew the cultural context.
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A very strange and surrealistic tale. The writing is abrupt and childlike at times but you get surprised by the emotional reactions the story engenders as you experience the life and relationship of the main character in short and seemingly unconnected vignettes. I was not quite sure what was going on until 70% of the way through but the adventure was intriguing nonetheless.
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2.5/5. Sad this one didn't really do it for me, the premise is up my alley. The nameless narrator is an ex-cryptozoologist, now-author chronicling different mythical "beasts" that live among humans in a fictional Chinese city. In each chapter she writes about a different type of "beast", each entry following an underlying plot. The pacing is slow and I found the narrator's relationships with other characters confusing. It was difficult to get a grasp on the narrator overall, and I think that's why it was difficult to become fully engaged with this book, as it's entirely through her eyes. The messages weren't entirely clear to me either, personally.
Recommended for: Urban fantasy enthusiasts, people with an afternoon to kill, cynical biologists, people looking for an unsettling and unique collection of short stories.
Recommended for: Urban fantasy enthusiasts, people with an afternoon to kill, cynical biologists, people looking for an unsettling and unique collection of short stories.