Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Rabbit Hutch

I wanted to like this one. It won the National Book Award. And the first 100 pages I was like, this is genius. And then it was all downhill from there. It's about a group of people all living in the same housing project as they each play a part in a violent event. I thought it got lost in its own too clever by half structure, and then the characters wound up being so underdeveloped that I felt nothing as it hurtled toward the conclusion I saw coming from a mile away. Then there's also this thing I see with a lot of modern fiction writers where it feels like literary fiction by way of Wes Anderson. It's very en vogue. And sometimes it works. But here, I thought it was so wrapped up in its need to be quirky and idiosyncratic that I lost the heart.

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tisalwayssunny's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.5

As nicely as possible, I was not surprised by the author writing this in an MFA program. The writing just had those stylistic little flairs but I think it works well for this novel. The perspectives were distinct although I felt like there were a couple too many near the end. An interesting and engaging read.

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notartgarfunkel's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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morecrocs's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-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

3.5

The Rabbit Hutch was one of those books that I was intrigued by and wanted to give it a go but ultimately it wasn’t for me. I think the synopsis led me to expect one sort of book, one that was different from the book the author actually wrote. It turned out to be just a bit too dark, weird and abstract for my taste. I also found it a little unfocused. There was a lot going on and it didn’t come together in a cohesive way. What I did appreciate was the writing - especially the fresh, sometimes confronting, imagery which really grabbed my attention.

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reginahafner_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

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

4.0

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swalk's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

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

4.25

Drifting through a set of apartments you learn of the residents who inhabit them and what their lives are like, touching, raw, brutal, sometimes even funny.

  Set in a deprived area of social housing in Indiana colloquially known as The Rabbit Hutch, you wander the minds of those who live there; What are their hopes, fears, problems, daydreams, what is happening in the banality of day to day life? The narrative thread is very loose especially at the start, it seems to be more about the life of each character, than a particular ‘story’ as such. Later on the lives interweave and connect the further into the book you get.  

The content reminds me a little of the film Waking Life in the way it winds between different characters, thoughts and topics. It is an unusual, but beautiful writing style. I’m not sure if in general I would have picked this book, but I’m glad I did. Very thought provoking.

 The narrator has a lovely expressive voice, who he really lends itself to this writing style, both soft and clear.

CW postnatal depression, suicide, depression, catastrophising, apocalypse 

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mmcloe's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely spellbinding - a standout work of the century without a doubt.

Leaves me thinking about the different ways we're tied to one another. How the physical and the social and the digital and the spiritual and the ecological all messily collide, exploding and leaving shards who knows what in their wake. A novel for American absurdity and late capitalism in the beige nooks of burnt out industry.

Gunty references (and is blurbed by!) Raven Leilani. Excited to visit Luster later!

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