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thebookboy's review against another edition
4.0
A bizarre, haunting little book that has an almost fairytale feel.
I really enjoyed this one - it's atmospheric, bizarre and alive with excellent prose and vivid characters, many of whom are completely unhinged.
There's madness, poisonings, love affairs and a cantankerous grandma who's particularly unpleasant (in a very enjoyable way).
Bonkers but rather brilliant.
I really enjoyed this one - it's atmospheric, bizarre and alive with excellent prose and vivid characters, many of whom are completely unhinged.
There's madness, poisonings, love affairs and a cantankerous grandma who's particularly unpleasant (in a very enjoyable way).
Bonkers but rather brilliant.
itspeachie's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
maevejreilly's review against another edition
5.0
Hysterically funny and tragically heartbreaking. Hit tip once again to the Backlisted podcast.
briancrandall's review against another edition
5.0
Ebin Willoweed rowed his daughters round the submerged garden. He rowed with gentle ineffectual strokes because he was a slothful man, but a strong vein of inquisitiveness kept him from being entirely indolent. He rowed away under a blazing sun; the light was very bright and the water brilliant. Sometimes there would be a bumping and scraping under the boat as it passed over a garden seat or tree trunk or some object only slightly covered by water. Strange objects of pitiful aspect floated past: the bloated body of a drowned sheep, the wool withering about in the water, a white bee-hive with the perplexed bees still around; a new-born pig, all pink and dead; and the mournful bodies of the peacocks. It seemed so stark to see such sorrowful things under the blazing sun and blue sky—a mist of rain would have been more fitting. Now a tabby cat with a distended belly passed, its little paws showing above the water, its small head hanging low. Ebin Willoweed turned his round blue eyes in its direction with interest and poked at it with his oar. His daughters were filled with sadness and asked to be taken back to the house, but he turned the boat towards the river. Then the current became much stronger and there was the sound of swirling water against trees and posts and he had to get one of the girls to take an oar to get the boat back to the safety of the garden. After this exertion he became quite agreeable to returning to the house. [3–4]
rocketiza's review against another edition
3.0
While I loved the atmosphere and writing style, the story wasn't that interesting.
sjg2023's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0