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A review by anneklein
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed this a lot, though I don't see it becoming a favourite book of mine or anything. It was very clever and the twist at the end surprised me and yet made me feel like I should have seen it coming, which is just ideal and the exact feeling I expect from a plot twist.
The voice of our main character and narrator is so clear and so endearing—it's very enjoyable to read from the perspective of an older character, and to have her quirks and interests and personality so clearly characterised and portrayed on the page. I feel like this book really showed me what "voice" can be in a story. The characterisation never felt overdone or cheesy, despite Duszejko's eccentricities. Additionally, the rest of the characters were so lovable and interesting, and they felt like real people. My favourites were Good News, of course, and Boros the entomologist, and I also really liked the gentleman with the poodle.
The pacing lagged a bit towards the middle, but was really tight and accomplished at the start and at the end, in my opinion. And the themes of the story are presented clearly but not in a hamfisted, preachy way. The defense of animals and their rights felt very sincere and truly got me, though I feel like it might have a greater impact on people who aren't already vegetarian and/or concerned about animals and the meat industry. Overall a really good book, I enjoyed my time reading it and I am glad it gets the hype it deserves.
The voice of our main character and narrator is so clear and so endearing—it's very enjoyable to read from the perspective of an older character, and to have her quirks and interests and personality so clearly characterised and portrayed on the page. I feel like this book really showed me what "voice" can be in a story. The characterisation never felt overdone or cheesy, despite Duszejko's eccentricities. Additionally, the rest of the characters were so lovable and interesting, and they felt like real people. My favourites were Good News, of course, and Boros the entomologist, and I also really liked the gentleman with the poodle.
The pacing lagged a bit towards the middle, but was really tight and accomplished at the start and at the end, in my opinion. And the themes of the story are presented clearly but not in a hamfisted, preachy way. The defense of animals and their rights felt very sincere and truly got me, though I feel like it might have a greater impact on people who aren't already vegetarian and/or concerned about animals and the meat industry. Overall a really good book, I enjoyed my time reading it and I am glad it gets the hype it deserves.