A review by shelby1994
On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel

dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 
Thank you to the team at Alfred A. Knopf for this ARC - out 14 February! 
(pls check the TW for the book at the end!!)
In her latest book, Tiffany McDaniel has returned to Appalachia, where everything smells like death. The paper mills, the used needles, and the stiff girls being pulled from the river. Inspired by the true unsolved mystery of the Chilliconthe murders, McDaniels digs into the relationships forged within generations of addition and between the forgotten women who go missing every day. 

First the good - ‘Betty’ was a masterclass in lyrical writing, and this is more of the same.  Every sentence is a poem, and every paragraph a hymn to the natural world. Water babies - this one is for you. McDaniels obviously cares deeply about the story she’s trying to tell, and there is never once any “icky”, exploitative feeling that comes from a lot of the true-crime shows, books, and podcasts that we get. 

Where this one didn’t work for me in comparison to ‘Betty,’ or in comparison to other books that center addiction, is the same reason why I’m sure so many people will love this. This book feels like series of poems and lyrics in search of characters that never fully materialize for me. Daffy and Arc spend their lives crocheting beautiful alternate realities to the hell they live in. Delusions and stories are what keep them tied to the rocks pulling them under, but they’re also the things with wings. Unfortunately, when half of a story feels like a daydream, it’s easy for the reader to lose focus too. 

Read If You:
– Have a healthy fear of spiders 
– Love “My Dying Spirit” by Greyson Chance 
– Want more Appalachian Gothic on your bookshelf 

 TW: Addiction, Child abuse, rape, animal cruelty
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