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hickorynut 's review for:
Lanny
by Max Porter
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This is a difficult book to review as it is very chaotically written with dozens of unlabeled and strongly opinionated viewpoints. While I can appreciate the level of literary talent it takes to produce a story like this, it was not a style I personally vibed well with.
There are a few main characters, all of whom are unlikeable and theres a strong focus on their deep flaws. As well as a mythological being that watches the nearby village in a predatory, voyeuristic, and darkly curious way. The primary focus of the story is a unique child named Lanny builds a relationship with a local reclusive painter, the child goes missing, and the painter is considered a suspect while they search for Lanny.
If you were to remove the unique style of writing and only look at the plot and character development, it feels like a common story. A child goes missing, their adult mentor is a suspect, the parents descend into darkness, and it turns out the child had gotten lost and stuck somewhere and is rescued.
There are some strong trigger warnings and moments where this story reminded me of The Lovely Bones and Bridge to Terabithia. This is likely not a book I will recommend as it's difficult to connect with and the discursive writing can be difficult. It wasn't particularly enjoyable to read and I couldn't take much away from it, so the short length was what kept me motivated to finish it - had it been much longer, I likely would have DNFd it.
There are a few main characters, all of whom are unlikeable and theres a strong focus on their deep flaws. As well as a mythological being that watches the nearby village in a predatory, voyeuristic, and darkly curious way. The primary focus of the story is a unique child named Lanny builds a relationship with a local reclusive painter, the child goes missing, and the painter is considered a suspect while they search for Lanny.
If you were to remove the unique style of writing and only look at the plot and character development, it feels like a common story. A child goes missing, their adult mentor is a suspect, the parents descend into darkness, and it turns out the child had gotten lost and stuck somewhere and is rescued.
There are some strong trigger warnings and moments where this story reminded me of The Lovely Bones and Bridge to Terabithia. This is likely not a book I will recommend as it's difficult to connect with and the discursive writing can be difficult. It wasn't particularly enjoyable to read and I couldn't take much away from it, so the short length was what kept me motivated to finish it - had it been much longer, I likely would have DNFd it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore
Minor: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment