Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
I really did not get on well with this one. The language is very lyrical but the plot seemed so implausible, the characters so unreal. An unrelentingly dark Danny, Champion of the World.
This isn't a real review. I just wanted to say that I read this book one month ago and completely forgot it existed, so that should say something about the impression it made on me. It deserves the 4 star rating though, because the writing really is very good. I just didn't like the characters. Or the story. Or the ending. Basically, this book just wasn't for me at all but that's not Fiona Mozley's fault.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
vivid, savage and heartbreaking
A story told though the voice of a youngster who is both a product of his world and a witness to it. Nearly feral children raised by a man who is brutal in the world and wise and protective to them, and who makes them a place of security and danger. I could not put this down.
A story told though the voice of a youngster who is both a product of his world and a witness to it. Nearly feral children raised by a man who is brutal in the world and wise and protective to them, and who makes them a place of security and danger. I could not put this down.
This is the story of Daniel , a young man searching for his sister. The present day narrative shows him as itinerant, lost and vulnerable and these short extracts allow the main narrative to unfold which is about the events years before in rural Yorkshire.
The writing captures the beauty and harshness of both the landscape and the people as we meet Daniel, his sister Cathy and their gentle man mountain , bare fist fighting , 'daddy' John as they move into and build a house in the woods . This is a solitary life , living off the land , they have little contact with the outside world other than a woman who is asked by the father to tutor them.
Their occupation of the land however brings them into confrontation with Price the local landowner . The land once belonged to Daniel's mother but she lost it to Price and we learn that the mother had demons and was easily exploited. The story then becomes one of survival against the cruelty of the landowners and their exploitation of their tenants and the land.
The book also explores the effect on the children of their parents characters , Cathy is like her father and she bristles with wildness like the creatures in the forest, Daniel is soft and sensitive and ultimately protected by Cathy.
The prose beautifully creates a sense of the countryside and I was also hooked by the story. I really liked the characters and became anxious about the ultimate resolution.
Definitely a good read particularly as it was a debut and I am looking forward to reading more by the author.
The writing captures the beauty and harshness of both the landscape and the people as we meet Daniel, his sister Cathy and their gentle man mountain , bare fist fighting , 'daddy' John as they move into and build a house in the woods . This is a solitary life , living off the land , they have little contact with the outside world other than a woman who is asked by the father to tutor them.
Their occupation of the land however brings them into confrontation with Price the local landowner . The land once belonged to Daniel's mother but she lost it to Price and we learn that the mother had demons and was easily exploited. The story then becomes one of survival against the cruelty of the landowners and their exploitation of their tenants and the land.
The book also explores the effect on the children of their parents characters , Cathy is like her father and she bristles with wildness like the creatures in the forest, Daniel is soft and sensitive and ultimately protected by Cathy.
The prose beautifully creates a sense of the countryside and I was also hooked by the story. I really liked the characters and became anxious about the ultimate resolution.
Definitely a good read particularly as it was a debut and I am looking forward to reading more by the author.
We all grow into our coffins, Danny. And I saw myself growing into mine.
This is a beautifully written fable about family, community, and wilderness. Mozley sets a slow and steady pace that spreads an ominous shadow to the shocking, yet gripping violence of the last 30-40 pages. Lose yourself in Mozley's sentences and the innocence of Danny. Elmet not only celebrates a quiet peace of place, but its characters are a subtle exploration of gender, masculinity, love, power and survival.
This is a beautifully written fable about family, community, and wilderness. Mozley sets a slow and steady pace that spreads an ominous shadow to the shocking, yet gripping violence of the last 30-40 pages. Lose yourself in Mozley's sentences and the innocence of Danny. Elmet not only celebrates a quiet peace of place, but its characters are a subtle exploration of gender, masculinity, love, power and survival.
Very interesting novel with a fascinating protagonist. The protagonist and his sister are incredibly world-wise and naïve at once.
Atmospheric and unique with beautiful writing and an interesting protagonist. It’s heartbreaking and homely, and honestly, I would read a whole book just detailing the daily lives of the main family and the surrounding environment. The ending was a bit unsatisfying and the shifts in perspective felt gimmicky. But, the way it handles themes of violence, property, nature, and gender makes it well worth the read
I got an advance copy of this book from net galley. I had had it on my TBR for a while having heard great things about it. However I have struggled to rate it and hovered between 2 and 3 stars. Mozley writes in a great literary style but its like reading through a fog trying to understand what the storyline is and where it is going. In some places I felt like I had a handle on everything only for it to be gathered back into the mist. It is set about 20 miles from my home and I looked forward to reading something truly "Yorkshire" but apart from the "colloquial dialogue" the spirit of Yorkshire failed to come through. I often wish for a half star rating and this is one of those occasions, there were parts i enjoyed but it did not work as a whole