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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
"Unlikely Animals" gets 3 out of 5 stars from me. It was okay, and I did find some parts enjoyable, but it was a struggle to keep going at times. This tragicomic novel, set in a small New Hampshire town dealing with an opioid crisis, follows Emma Starling as she returns home to care for her father, who is hallucinating small animals and the ghost of a long-dead naturalist. It's narrated by the collective "we" of the local cemetery's dead residents, which adds a unique, quirky layer to the story.
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
Loved this so much!
This is dragging too much. It's just boring. There's no emotional core - there's clearly supposed to be one, but it isn't working. There's too much going on - there's the mystery of Crystal disappearing, Emma dealing with the loss of het powers and figuring out what she's going to do, the messy relationship with her brother, her dying dad, the ghost animals, the ghosts in the cemetery it's just too much but at the same time the book is so boring I'm struggling to get through it. I'm going to cut my losses.
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hartnett did a great job of weaving comedy and whimsy with tragedy and the inevitable. the narrator perspective was also so unique, and really added an element to the book that just made it feel like a nice hug. there was kind of a lot going on, but I never felt lost. Ultimately a really enjoyable read from start to finish.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Infidelity
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Twenty-something Emma Starling returns home to New Hampshire from a life debacle in California and has to face some new dynamics in her own family. An extremely quirky plot ensues. I loved every minute spent with this novel. All the feels for me.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“That's why we like living with animals so much; they exhibit their joy so outwardly, remind us how to be better alive.”
I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down about halfway through. I’m excited to read Hartnett’s other book, Rabbit Cake.
I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down about halfway through. I’m excited to read Hartnett’s other book, Rabbit Cake.