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ketchup_chugger_al's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I too would buy a Russian fox for $18,000 if it wasn’t horrifically inhumane
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Dementia, Grief, Child death, Infidelity, Cursing, Alcohol, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Terminal illness, and Cancer
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Gore, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, War, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
raekit's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was funny and delightful and smart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Drug abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Kidnapping
motleybooksandtea's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Addiction, Child death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Murder, and Grief
rebeccap's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I received this book for free from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett is a novel full of history, family drama, small town mysteries, humor, and personal growth. The plot sounded intriguing; Emma is a young woman born with what her family and friends call “the charm”. Growing up she was able heal minor ailments just by touching someone. After graduating college Emma returns to the small town she grew up in to figure out what she was gong to do with the rest of her life… her healing touch is gone. Another reason for returning home was to help care for her dying father. Upon returning home Emma learns that her former best friend has been missing for months.
Throughout the novel we learn more about Emma’s past family drama. A big part of the story relates to Emma’s father’s declining health. Clive is forced to retire from his college teaching job due to hallucinations of small animals and his frequent conversations with a ghost named Harold. Harold’s character is actually based on a real person, Ernest Harold Baynes. Excerpts from Harold’s published works are presented that help tie different parts of the novel together. Another unique thing about the novel is that the “narrators” are residents of the local cemetery. The inclusion of these characters serve to also help move the story forward.
I enjoyed the story and really wanted to see what happened to everyone. I could relate to Emma’s character feeling a little lost and unsure of what to do with her life. The mystery of what happened to her friend Crystal also pulled me in; I really wanted to see if there’d be any resolution (there was). The novel touches on a lot of important issues: family drama, forgiveness, figuring out what to do with your life, how the opioid crisis affects not only the person with addiction but their family as well. While these are all serious topics, the novel doesn’t feel too heavy. There are enough funny moments sprinkled throughout the story to keep it lighthearted. I gave it 4.5 stars for two main reasons. First, I felt like sometimes the historical excerpts from Harold’s work distracted the reader from the main story. But, maybe if I read it again they would make more sense. Second, the ending. Without giving away any spoilers I’ll just say that I felt like the ending was a bit abrupt. Everything was resolved neatly but I was still left with questions. I wish some things were expanded upon a bit more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Death of parent, Addiction, and Dementia
jennastopreading's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free advanced copy of this masterpiece!
This book is 100% outside of the norm of what I typically read, and I can give it no less than 5 stars. It wouldn't be right. With masterful storytelling, a palpable family dynamic, and an intricate storyline, Unlikely Animals is full of heart and soul. I never wanted to leave Everton and its ghosts (literally ghosts in the cemetery, they're the ones
narrating the story).
Every single important character in this story had a quality that had me rooting for them. From Clive's antics to Auggie's recovery, the Starling family was charming and flawed. We get to witness our main character, Emma, find herself back in the familiarity of her hometown, a place
that she couldn't wait to get away from when she turned 18. It was fascinating to watch a family go through the troubles in their life while also interacting with the heaviness of the world surrounding them.
The pacing is slow, but there's reason for it, as we watch every stitch in the fabric of this drama pull together. This
quiet story produced some of the biggest twists I've ever read in my life - so twisty that I didn't have them on my radar.
The writing is beautiful, the storyline well thought out, and the execution superb. I cannot wait to read more from Annie Hartnett.
This book is 100% outside of the norm of what I typically read, and I can give it no less than 5 stars. It wouldn't be right. With masterful storytelling, a palpable family dynamic, and an intricate storyline, Unlikely Animals is full of heart and soul. I never wanted to leave Everton and its ghosts (literally ghosts in the cemetery, they're the ones
narrating the story).
Every single important character in this story had a quality that had me rooting for them. From Clive's antics to Auggie's recovery, the Starling family was charming and flawed. We get to witness our main character, Emma, find herself back in the familiarity of her hometown, a place
that she couldn't wait to get away from when she turned 18. It was fascinating to watch a family go through the troubles in their life while also interacting with the heaviness of the world surrounding them.
The pacing is slow, but there's reason for it, as we watch every stitch in the fabric of this drama pull together. This
quiet story produced some of the biggest twists I've ever read in my life - so twisty that I didn't have them on my radar.
The writing is beautiful, the storyline well thought out, and the execution superb. I cannot wait to read more from Annie Hartnett.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Terminal illness, and Addiction
Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
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