A review by rochelle_reads
Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

challenging reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

꧁꧁Book Review꧂꧂

Weird. Funny. Unfinished.

The story follows Dorothy, a housewife in a lifeless marriage who develops a relationship with a frog-like creature that waltzes into her kitchen and eats her salad. After escaping abusive scientists, Dorothy must help him stay hidden while hiding her passions for the the amphibian from her unsuspecting husband by shutting him up in the guest room.

This book was bloody weird. I am still a little bit traumatised if I’m honest. Let’s start with why I actually decided to read this: it was advertised to me as “frogman porn” and colour me intrigued, I thought after reading that blue alien nonsense, how bad could it be? I was wrong. And very wrong.Let’s address the frog in the room. There was no smut. And his name was Larry…Larry the frogman. 

I couldn’t take anything about this book seriously. How she described his “large nobly head” and then how attractive she found him, after she made him extra large glasses and a hat to fit his giant head. I’m cracking up as I write this because it’s just so utterly bizarre to hear it aloud but I didn’t laugh when I read it because I had absolutely no idea what was happening. I don’t know if this was intended to be funny but I can’t explain this book to anyone without crying with laughter because it’s so weird.

The writing style was very difficult to follow in places and I found that Ingalls put emphasis and descriptions on strange parts of the narrative, while leaving other important ideas for the reader to put together themselves in a complex way. 

Overall, I read this with my friend and I’m glad I did, because I needed to talk through this absolute train wreck by the end. I would absolutely recommend everyone read this because I need to know what you think 😂
Rating: 🐸🐸🐸
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