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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
challenging
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This 'somewhat' true tale is told by a mammoth awaiting auction to the other relics in his presence - a fossilised penguin, an Egyptian hand, a tyrannosaurus and a pterodactyl. The stories narrated are compelling and humorous and scattered with true-life historical personages spanning many years. This is an entertaining and highly original novel. Uniquely surprising.
It's a great idea, to write a history from the perspective of the fossilised bones of prehistoric creatures, but this one didn't quite work for me. I can't decide on a rating - I think it would be 2.5, because it was such a bumpy ride. I'd be totally absorbed and enjoying it, then turn a page and be really irritated.
Although I liked the more or less accurate backstory to the 19th century excavation of the mammoth of the title and enjoyed its imagined journey around the world, I couldn't stand the wisecracking dialogue from the other fossils. Also perhaps I'm being picky but in the natural world these days elephants are lead by females and wolves are led by alpha pairs, but in Mammoth their ancestors are led by the males. There are some great female characters, including an Irish adventurer and a cranky pharoah, but this change seems like male blinkers firmly in place.
Although I liked the more or less accurate backstory to the 19th century excavation of the mammoth of the title and enjoyed its imagined journey around the world, I couldn't stand the wisecracking dialogue from the other fossils. Also perhaps I'm being picky but in the natural world these days elephants are lead by females and wolves are led by alpha pairs, but in Mammoth their ancestors are led by the males. There are some great female characters, including an Irish adventurer and a cranky pharoah, but this change seems like male blinkers firmly in place.
funny
hopeful
informative
What a fun, playful ride this was! I highly recommend the audiobook. I felt the ending dragged just slightly, but the first 200 pages wizzed by. Loved this.
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The concept behind this book was what initially grabbed me, but I found my interest falling throughout the narrative. I really thought the humour was going to sell me on this book, but I found that it was jarring and out of place for the exhibits. I chuckled a few times, not out of amusement, but out of the sheer absurdity of the dialogue. I also found the grammar/dialogue structure to be frustrating as it was hard to tell who was speaking when. It made it difficult for me to have a distinctive voice for any of the exhibits except the mammoth.
Maybe I'll give it another read sometime and try again.
Maybe I'll give it another read sometime and try again.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5. Mammoth is like nothing I've ever read before -- a series of historical vignettes told from the perspectives of a group of fossils waiting to be auctioned off. With Mammut the Mammoth as lead storyteller, the book follows not only his life and death but also his exhumation and the strange travels of his remains.
What worked for me was the concept, having the conversation between the fossils frame the historical content -- their banter was fun and brought levity to the book, and much of he historical accounts were more interesting than T. Batar accused them of being. I also appreciate Flynn's note on the historical vs. fictionalized aspects of the book and his inclusion of a bibliography.
What didn't work for me was that one section at the end featuring entirely fictionalized characters seemed to drag on way too long. The e-book was also not very well formatted, unfortunately, and missing punctuation -- quotation marks specifically -- made it hard to tell when one speaker's words ended and another speaker's words began.
What worked for me was the concept, having the conversation between the fossils frame the historical content -- their banter was fun and brought levity to the book, and much of he historical accounts were more interesting than T. Batar accused them of being. I also appreciate Flynn's note on the historical vs. fictionalized aspects of the book and his inclusion of a bibliography.
What didn't work for me was that one section at the end featuring entirely fictionalized characters seemed to drag on way too long. The e-book was also not very well formatted, unfortunately, and missing punctuation -- quotation marks specifically -- made it hard to tell when one speaker's words ended and another speaker's words began.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Slavery
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
funny
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A quirky perspective narrated by an afterlife Mammoth!
Quite humorous from time to time.
Quite informative too.
Really need to be in a mood to go with it and suspend disbelief to get the most out of it and fortunately that was my feeling at the time.
It's been a few weeks since reading it, I'm behind with a few reviews, so it's one that hasn't really stayed with me, which has made me a little disappointed in myself, so it's one I think I'd consider rereading some time in the future.
Quite humorous from time to time.
Quite informative too.
Really need to be in a mood to go with it and suspend disbelief to get the most out of it and fortunately that was my feeling at the time.
It's been a few weeks since reading it, I'm behind with a few reviews, so it's one that hasn't really stayed with me, which has made me a little disappointed in myself, so it's one I think I'd consider rereading some time in the future.