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chloeam3103's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, and Blood
jstilts's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- 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
I didn't know what genre this book was, and I really highly recommend going into this thoughtful, funny, slightly unhinged book without even reading the back cover - nor in fact any more of my review!
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Murder, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Animal death, and Death
egle_va's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
“…I realized that sorrow is an important word for defining the world. It lies at the foundations of everything, it is the fifth element, the quintessence.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Animal cruelty, and Grief
catarina_fernandes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, and Murder
megwhitlock's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
One of the most incredible, thought-provoking books I've read in a long time, even if it took me a while to get into it.
The main character is so utterly believable and it's a pleasure to get sucked into her world.
It's always nice when a book challenges your perspective on things.
The main character is so utterly believable and it's a pleasure to get sucked into her world.
It's always nice when a book challenges your perspective on things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Murder, Death, and Animal death
halftimelord's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Everything will pass. The wise Man knows this from the start, and has no regrets.
I REALLY enjoyed Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. I wasn't sure about it at first (not to judge a book by its cover, but the edition that I have isn't very inviting!) and when I picked it up I wasn't expecting an easy read, especially with the subject matter described in the blurb. However, I was glad to be proven wrong. I can see why the author is a Nobel Prize winner!
The book does a really good job of balancing the inner life of the main character and her reflections on life (and death) with the murder mystery that almost sneaks up on the reader. I really liked Duszejko and even at the end,despite her eccentricities and "madness" the book does a good job at making you feel that her actions were justified. The description of the photograph at the end was a gut punch. Although we don't spend much time with the other characters, they feel very realistic and the way they come together as a kind of family is really moving. For a book with a lot of horrible events, covering dark topics, there's also a lot of kindness in it.
On a Wednesday morning in January, at seven in the morning, it's plain to see that the world was not made for Man, and definitely not for his comfort or pleasure.
I REALLY enjoyed Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. I wasn't sure about it at first (not to judge a book by its cover, but the edition that I have isn't very inviting!) and when I picked it up I wasn't expecting an easy read, especially with the subject matter described in the blurb. However, I was glad to be proven wrong. I can see why the author is a Nobel Prize winner!
The book does a really good job of balancing the inner life of the main character and her reflections on life (and death) with the murder mystery that almost sneaks up on the reader. I really liked Duszejko and even at the end,
On a Wednesday morning in January, at seven in the morning, it's plain to see that the world was not made for Man, and definitely not for his comfort or pleasure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Murder
dizzzybrook's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I adored everything about this book. I’ve found myself becoming increasingly bored with literary mystery/thriller books written from the POV of an unreliable narrator but Tokarczuk’s execution here is really great. Janina is one of my favorite literary characters that I’ve read in quite a while. Honestly, this book could have had absolutely no plot and I would have considered it a six star book anyways based on how incredible I found the prose alone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
Moderate: Violence, Death, Body horror, and Blood
liesbethvv's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This book had been on my TBR for so long and I’m happy BOB bookclub finally made me pick it up. It read like a gloomy thriller with an unreliable narrator and a big focus on the main characters loathing of hunting and killing animals.
The set-up was predictable (to me) yet executed in an entertaining way.
I could have done without the lengthy rants about astrology, though they did feel like part of the main character’s eccentricities. If you’d like to read something of
The set-up was predictable (to me) yet executed in an entertaining way.
I could have done without the lengthy rants about astrology, though they did feel like part of the main character’s eccentricities. If you’d like to read something of
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Murder, and Animal death
Moderate: Blood and Chronic illness
sneha_m's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Murder
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
dark
funny
slow-paced
- 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
As the main character and narrator of this darkly funny novel, Mrs. Duszejko steals the show. A fierce old woman who lives alone in a house on a remote Polish plateau, she has a big personality as an eccentric astrologer, vegetarian, non-Catholic, and translator of William Blake. She patrols the area surrounding her home daily and has a few, select friends. After her neighbor, “Bigfoot,” is found dead, a series of deaths unfolds, but no one will hear her theories about stags and stars. Ultimately, this is a story of a woman in a significant amount of grief. Beata Poźniak’s narration is exemplary—just perfect.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Murder, Misogyny, Grief, and Death
Minor: Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Medical content