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chloeam3103's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, and Blood
jstilts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The book follows Duszejko - an elderly Polish lady - living remotely enough that in winter she only has two neighbours, and makes an income from keeping watch on and maintaining the houses of those that can't stand to live there in the colder seasons. She spends her time looking after the local wildlife, railing against hunters and poachers, translating Blake into Polish, and researching the horoscope in all sorts of unusual ways.
One morning one of her two neighbours discovers the other dead, and as they tend to the corpse Duszejko becomes convinced he was murdered by the very animals he hunted.
This surprising book reads almost as a stream-of-conciousness from a narrator that is not so much unreliable as mildly out of touch with reality.
Her worldview is disarmingly cosy and endearing, sometimes heartbreaking, and it's so wonderful to follow her unusual trains of thought - not just of her life but the very mechanics of existence itself - that it's easy to forget that Duszejko's state of mind is probably unhealthy, especially as she rarely if ever seems to be in anything approaching peril.
At once both relaxing and compelling, I honestly didn't want this book to end - but the terrible truths being laid out were done so with such verve it had me laughing in glee at the audaciousness of the author.
Highly recommended!
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Murder, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Animal death, and Death
egle_va's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Animal cruelty, and Grief
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Murder, Misogyny, Grief, and Death
Minor: Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Medical content
rusina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Violence, Sexism, Chronic illness, and Death
Minor: Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, and Blood
chris_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Murder, Animal death, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Grief, Confinement, and Gore
Minor: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, Medical content, and Vomit
thebechdelbitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived In the Castle (another favourite of mine) in the rituals and idiosyncrasies of its narrators, both of whom believe that outside forces (astrology, magic) will save them. Both narratives never fully decide whether they are right or wrong.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quirky and fun narrator/narrative style, with something extremely dark under the surface.
Graphic: Murder, Animal death, and Gore
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Misogyny
Minor: Medical content
tjwolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Murder, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Alcohol, Misogyny, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
bedtimesnack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Animal death
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Ableism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Child death, Fatphobia, Confinement, and Sexism
noahfence's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Chronic illness, Medical content, Sexism, Cursing, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, and Misogyny