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A review by bonafidefaygo
Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I don't know how to describe this book. And I also didn't know what I was getting into, and I think that hampered some of my enjoyment.
If I had known this was a *purely* character driven book, told in largely disconnected vignettes, I might have been able to shift my expectations and gone along for the ride from the beginning. But it took me a solid third of the book to really settle in for the ride, and then it took the half-way/two-thirds point to really be deeply invested.
While this is a werewolf story, it's really a story about poverty and the stigma that comes with an impoverished childhood. I found this to be done exceptionally well, and that probably largely has to do with the SGJ's as he writes in the afterword.
This novel is very melancholy throughout, and the last 25-30 pages really solidified that and made me emotional.
I used to think I didn't like coming-of-age stories, but now I'm beginning to think maybe I just don't like those that are poorly written lol. Because this was very well-done. Mongrels made me feel something and that's what good art should do.
I'd like to revisit this in a few years with more accurate expectations and I think this could be a five star upon re-read.
If I had known this was a *purely* character driven book, told in largely disconnected vignettes, I might have been able to shift my expectations and gone along for the ride from the beginning. But it took me a solid third of the book to really settle in for the ride, and then it took the half-way/two-thirds point to really be deeply invested.
While this is a werewolf story, it's really a story about poverty and the stigma that comes with an impoverished childhood. I found this to be done exceptionally well, and that probably largely has to do with the SGJ's as he writes in the afterword.
This novel is very melancholy throughout, and the last 25-30 pages really solidified that and made me emotional.
I used to think I didn't like coming-of-age stories, but now I'm beginning to think maybe I just don't like those that are poorly written lol. Because this was very well-done. Mongrels made me feel something and that's what good art should do.
I'd like to revisit this in a few years with more accurate expectations and I think this could be a five star upon re-read.