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laurenbookwitchbitch's review
3.0
I was lucky to get an ARC of this book through my local bookstore. “A Garden of Earthly Bodies,” - Sally Oliver (coming out June 2022), is a dark twisted, medical/eco suspense tale of mystery and suspicion. It begins with Marianne finding a growth of thick black hair along her spine. She tried to cut it out, pull it out, but no avail. When her doctor recommends her to a modern rehabilitation center called Nede, Marianne is hesitant, but finally accepts the offer. The longer she stays there however she finds it is much darker, more deadly and sinister then she could have imagined. What started as seemingly benign hairs turn out just be the tip of the iceberg as she is confronted with her repressed trauma and memories she thought she could never recall. This is a dense read, one teeming with psychological deterioration, cycles of pain and grief about how the most haunting of ghosts aren’t far away phantoms…but our own minds and bodies.
literaryjunarin's review
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
melc's review against another edition
3.0
This was a mixed up read. At times, very lyrical, this literary horror has depth and ambition.
The commentary on health, our relationship with our bodies, and the complications of interaction with the medical profession was thought-provoking and insightful.
The family relationships were drawn in a profound and unsettling way challenging the reader to examine the good and bad in our individual and family lives.
But I couldn't quite complete my journey wholeheartedly on board with this book. The horror and magical realism didn't get fully shaped enough and I felt a lot of the themes and imagery were shoe-horned into the novel.
This was definitely interesting and compelling and will stay with me, but didn't quite ever reach a conclusion that grounded all the muddle of themes.
With thanks to NetGalley and OneWorld for this digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.
The commentary on health, our relationship with our bodies, and the complications of interaction with the medical profession was thought-provoking and insightful.
The family relationships were drawn in a profound and unsettling way challenging the reader to examine the good and bad in our individual and family lives.
But I couldn't quite complete my journey wholeheartedly on board with this book. The horror and magical realism didn't get fully shaped enough and I felt a lot of the themes and imagery were shoe-horned into the novel.
This was definitely interesting and compelling and will stay with me, but didn't quite ever reach a conclusion that grounded all the muddle of themes.
With thanks to NetGalley and OneWorld for this digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.
bibliobethreads's review against another edition
3.0
I haven’t accepted a book for review in quite some time but when One World Publications got in touch to see if I’d be interested in reading and reviewing The Weight Of Loss, I read the synopsis and was won over instantly. Thank you to them for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a clever, lyrical and meandering story that explores the themes of mental health, loss, grief and rehabilitation in a very interesting way. Our protagonist Marianne begins to notice long, thick black hairs protruding from her spine and even though her doctor tells her it may be her body’s physical reaction to grief, she takes up the offer of a specialised wellness retreat to help her work through her issues.
The book then follows Marianne at the clinic and delves into her past with her sister, Marie before climaxing into a completely unanticipated ending. It blends magical realism and literary fiction together with a sprinkling of the weird and wonderful.
I’m torn on my feelings for this book. I loved the imagery of the black hairs along Marianne’s spine and what they represented and some of my favourite moments were the relationship between Marianne and Marie, the latter of whom made me want to hug then shake them in equal measure! I felt as if I was so invested in the first half but then it lost me a little near the end.
However, it’s clear that Sally Oliver oozes talent and I’m excited to see what she comes out with next.
3.5 stars
This is a clever, lyrical and meandering story that explores the themes of mental health, loss, grief and rehabilitation in a very interesting way. Our protagonist Marianne begins to notice long, thick black hairs protruding from her spine and even though her doctor tells her it may be her body’s physical reaction to grief, she takes up the offer of a specialised wellness retreat to help her work through her issues.
The book then follows Marianne at the clinic and delves into her past with her sister, Marie before climaxing into a completely unanticipated ending. It blends magical realism and literary fiction together with a sprinkling of the weird and wonderful.
I’m torn on my feelings for this book. I loved the imagery of the black hairs along Marianne’s spine and what they represented and some of my favourite moments were the relationship between Marianne and Marie, the latter of whom made me want to hug then shake them in equal measure! I felt as if I was so invested in the first half but then it lost me a little near the end.
However, it’s clear that Sally Oliver oozes talent and I’m excited to see what she comes out with next.
3.5 stars
lizzillia's review
3.0
I was sent this by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
This is a book that enthralled me in the beginning. The opening chapter in intriguing and there is no indication to how it links to the rest of the story until very near the end because the next chapter is all about Marianne who is grief-stricken after the loss of her sister Marie, and this grief seems to be manifesting itself in a row of black hairs that are growing down her spine. Her doctor advises her to go to a centre, Nede, in a remote forest in Wales for treatment. Once there she finds that the therapy sessions are strange and seem to be causing some sort of change within her as she obsession with her sister's death threatens to pull her apart.
We have timelines from Marianne's child hood, her life with Marie and her life away from her family as well as the timeline that covers her stay in Nede. For me, I was engaged in the beginning and had sympathy for Marianne and her family, and their difficulties in dealing with Marie. Her parents seemed totally unable to cope with the situation, or their daughters. A dysfunctional family but not in the terms of a broken family, more a family that was not strong enough. Marianne is drowning in her grief and the glimpse of hope offered by the stay at Nede entices her. However it was at Nede that I felt myself drifting. Initially, I was as curious as Marianne, and some of the treatments caused me to physically shudder. But the final part - gory, bizarre and it took a long time to get to it. It sort of explained the first chapter but the ending/climax/conclusion, it just didn't satisfy me. Sorry.
A book that deals with the trauma of loss, grief and destructive depression in a very dark plot. Thank you Netgalley and Oneworld Publications for allowing me to read this.
This is a book that enthralled me in the beginning. The opening chapter in intriguing and there is no indication to how it links to the rest of the story until very near the end because the next chapter is all about Marianne who is grief-stricken after the loss of her sister Marie, and this grief seems to be manifesting itself in a row of black hairs that are growing down her spine. Her doctor advises her to go to a centre, Nede, in a remote forest in Wales for treatment. Once there she finds that the therapy sessions are strange and seem to be causing some sort of change within her as she obsession with her sister's death threatens to pull her apart.
We have timelines from Marianne's child hood, her life with Marie and her life away from her family as well as the timeline that covers her stay in Nede. For me, I was engaged in the beginning and had sympathy for Marianne and her family, and their difficulties in dealing with Marie. Her parents seemed totally unable to cope with the situation, or their daughters. A dysfunctional family but not in the terms of a broken family, more a family that was not strong enough. Marianne is drowning in her grief and the glimpse of hope offered by the stay at Nede entices her. However it was at Nede that I felt myself drifting. Initially, I was as curious as Marianne, and some of the treatments caused me to physically shudder. But the final part - gory, bizarre and it took a long time to get to it. It sort of explained the first chapter but the ending/climax/conclusion, it just didn't satisfy me. Sorry.
A book that deals with the trauma of loss, grief and destructive depression in a very dark plot. Thank you Netgalley and Oneworld Publications for allowing me to read this.
madison11kahle's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ceeelizabethreads's review
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
This book had 5 star potential, but it was lost in the heavy prose. It could be someone’s 5 star read, but I did not connect with the writing.
mcribsy13's review
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's a hat on a hat.
sjw_creates's review
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This read was an absolute slog from the second chapter on. It had some great horror/magic realism elements but was so overdone in the expansive text. It could have been trimmed to allow these ideas to develop. Ultimately this was let down by trying to be too clever for its own good.