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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
this story resonated with me so deeply. i have grown a love for the dead and wanting to honor and display them. i grew up so city and squeamish, i’d love to be able to strengthen my stomach to do taxidermy in my lifetime. if not, i have collected many a dead bug, and hope to display them more properly through pinning at some point. i also have a treasured state bird frozen to eventually dry and preserve. i need a sort of laboratory like lottie’s.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This ended up being far more gruesome than I expected, to a point where I was extremely uncomfortable.
*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
The writing was beautiful, but, unfortunately, that was not enough to keep me invested in the story.
I requested this because the taxidermy aspect sounded interesting. Unfortunately, I didn't find the characters very interesting, and I couldn't engage with the story.
I requested this because the taxidermy aspect sounded interesting. Unfortunately, I didn't find the characters very interesting, and I couldn't engage with the story.
“The Art of Taxidermy” left me pleasantly surprised and would definitely say it’s not for everyone specially if you’re not typically taken with verse novels (that is a type of narrative poetry in which a novel-length narrative is told through the medium of poetry rather than prose.) It was a unique and refreshing tale that told a tale about coping with loss and the grieving process, and would highly recommended to readers who aren’t afraid to step out their comfort zone.
This book was fine. It was a good take on grief, and how everybody handles it in completely different ways. Reading it in verse made it more unique, but honestly, it felt a little bit like it was trying a little too hard. As I said, it was fine but nothing to get too excited about.
Esha and I will be posting about this book on our blog, Four Legged Fiction!
Esha and I will be posting about this book on our blog, Four Legged Fiction!
At the age of eleven
I fell in love
with death.
Lottie is 11 years old, and she has already experienced too much grief for a girl her age. Her mother is gone, dead, and her father cannot bring himself to clean out her room, leaving it as a shrine to the woman he loved instead. Opa is gone too. And still, Lottie has no friends except for a girl named Annie.
At least Annie is always with her if no one else wants to be around her.
One day, Lottie and Annie discover a dying bird, and Lottie takes it home, keeping the beautiful creature so it could live on even if it is no longer truly alive. This goes well for a while, until Aunt Hilda steps in as a mothering figure that no one asked for - taking the things that Lottie loves and throwing them into the incinerator because 'they aren't fit for a young girl'.
But how else is she supposed to deal with her grief if everything she loves just keeps getting taken away from her?
The revival and
re-creation of something
that has expired
is an honour
and a gift
There is something oddly fascinating with all things morbid, and I think that Sharon Kernot did an astounding job of turning something bizarre, such as taxidermy, into something beautiful. Lottie's story is no different. Understanding her story is like understanding our own - at the heart of it all, grief can either overwhelm us or we can overpower it. Lottie's ways may not be conventional, but they make her feel alive, even if she's not 'normal'.
I also loved the fact we got to touch on a lot of Australian history in this book. I am American, and in traditional American fashion, I only know about America's views of all the major wars (thanks history class!). It was so interesting to see how Germans were treated in Australia during the WWII/Hitler time period. And even more interesting was learning about the aboriginal people in Australia - honestly, a group that does not get highlighted enough to those who do not live in Australia.
This is a quick and easy read, but a worthwhile read all the same. If you are a fan of prose, you are going to be a fan of this!
eARC provided in exchange for an honest review
I fell in love
with death.
Lottie is 11 years old, and she has already experienced too much grief for a girl her age. Her mother is gone, dead, and her father cannot bring himself to clean out her room, leaving it as a shrine to the woman he loved instead. Opa is gone too. And still, Lottie has no friends except for a girl named Annie.
At least Annie is always with her if no one else wants to be around her.
One day, Lottie and Annie discover a dying bird, and Lottie takes it home, keeping the beautiful creature so it could live on even if it is no longer truly alive. This goes well for a while, until Aunt Hilda steps in as a mothering figure that no one asked for - taking the things that Lottie loves and throwing them into the incinerator because 'they aren't fit for a young girl'.
But how else is she supposed to deal with her grief if everything she loves just keeps getting taken away from her?
The revival and
re-creation of something
that has expired
is an honour
and a gift
There is something oddly fascinating with all things morbid, and I think that Sharon Kernot did an astounding job of turning something bizarre, such as taxidermy, into something beautiful. Lottie's story is no different. Understanding her story is like understanding our own - at the heart of it all, grief can either overwhelm us or we can overpower it. Lottie's ways may not be conventional, but they make her feel alive, even if she's not 'normal'.
I also loved the fact we got to touch on a lot of Australian history in this book. I am American, and in traditional American fashion, I only know about America's views of all the major wars (thanks history class!). It was so interesting to see how Germans were treated in Australia during the WWII/Hitler time period. And even more interesting was learning about the aboriginal people in Australia - honestly, a group that does not get highlighted enough to those who do not live in Australia.
This is a quick and easy read, but a worthwhile read all the same. If you are a fan of prose, you are going to be a fan of this!
eARC provided in exchange for an honest review
I was sent a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lottie is fascinated by dead animals. She collects them, at the same time horrifying her aunt. Her father both encourages her to find her way and tries to placate her aunt. It's not easy being a single parent, and what really happened to Lottie's mother?
This is a novel in lyrical form, which is new for me, and it was a heartbreakingly beautiful read. You get small clues into the main characters life and history all along the way, like what happened to Lottie's mother? What about Lottie's friend Annie, who seems to share her interest in dead animals.
Even though the subject is sometimes quite macabre, this is also beautifully written. There are parts that are heartbreakingly sad, and parts that are hopeful for the future.
Lottie is fascinated by dead animals. She collects them, at the same time horrifying her aunt. Her father both encourages her to find her way and tries to placate her aunt. It's not easy being a single parent, and what really happened to Lottie's mother?
This is a novel in lyrical form, which is new for me, and it was a heartbreakingly beautiful read. You get small clues into the main characters life and history all along the way, like what happened to Lottie's mother? What about Lottie's friend Annie, who seems to share her interest in dead animals.
Even though the subject is sometimes quite macabre, this is also beautifully written. There are parts that are heartbreakingly sad, and parts that are hopeful for the future.