Reviews

What a great way to round out a year of reading. Displacement and alienation, loneliness, trauma, love and war, absurdity and allegory, ritual and tradition, faith. It’s terrifying, moving, and enlightening. Statovci repeatedly knocked the air out of my lungs. The translation is excellent—the language cohesive and economical. The more surreal moments reminded me of Bulgakov’s [b:The Master and Margarita|117833|The Master and Margarita|Mikhail Bulgakov|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327867963l/117833._SY75_.jpg|876183], grounded in a more sinewy, visceral narrative.

The cat wanted a story whose protagonist’s life began from a set of impossible circumstances, a story that would be so heart-wrenching that it might make him shake his head at the state of the world. But he wanted the story to end in such a way that he was able to applaud the protagonist’s ability to take matters into his own hands—despite the fact that the protagonist had learned that skill specifically so that he could shake off the burden of other people’s pity—and in order to reaffirm his own beliefs. Anyone can change the direction of his life, any time at all, if only he has enough motivation: that was the moral of the story. The cat found it easier to believe this than to think about what it actually meant: that the word anyone actually referred to a very small group of people, that time has no direction, and that motivation is rarely the salient difference between people.

kasteselmi's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

Pidän Statovcin kirjoitustyylistä. En ole vieläkään oikein varma, mitä mieltä olen hänen teostensa mystisestä puolesta, mutta historiallisia kuvauksia ja mielenkiintoisia kohtaloiden kuvauksia rakastan.

reuterre's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No

3.5

emmi383's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

emeck's review against another edition

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4.0

So I read a few chapters of this book in my Finnish Literary and Cultural History class, and really liked it. I am happy to report the rest of the book was just as enjoyable. The format is interesting & keeps the reader engaged (imo). It is weird, and some parts just leave you ????, but a great story nonetheless. Definitely recommend!

freddie's review against another edition

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4.0

The novel is good at evoking emotional responses. I came into this novel expecting some talking cat shenanigans but that part turned out to be the weakest part of the book. However, the book redeemed itself by how it nicely explores intersectionalities between war, racism, displacement, violence, trauma, and sexuality. The characters are flawed and the novel uses that to its advantage, making the story feels layered and complex.

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