Reviews

When I finished reading this book I gave it three stars, but four months later I'm going back and adding another star on the basis that specific images from the stories are still vivid in my mind to the point I can smell them. Grudova's aesthetics unmoored in history and geography but that nonetheless strongly evoke (to me anyway) the desolation of northern England between the World Wars are well developed and singular.

porge_grewe's review against another edition

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dark sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is an interesting one to review - The prose is bold and clear, the stories are grim vignettes which each leave you with an indelible image or impression, even if they don't necessarily have a satisfying ending, and the setting of the stories is fascinatingly grim - It all has a sense of extreme poverty and gothic despair, like the intersection of George Orwell and Edward Gorey.

I would find it hard to recommend to anyone I know, however, as this thing is *dark* - Take heed of the content warnings! It also leans very hard on my least-favourite gothic trope of dwelling on how ugly everyone is as a reflection of their character - I understand its function for setting the scene and putting us in the mind of the narrator, but it still feels unnecessary.

Content warnings: <sp> domestic violence, infanticide, rape, murder, unwanted pregnancy, child sexual abuse, definitely more that I'm forgetting </sp>

emcossey's review against another edition

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challenging fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

amberjanereads's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

4.5

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