beau_reads_books 's review for:

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann

5.0

adventurous funny informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

“‘I tell you, those are no normal sheep! See the way they’re putting their heads together? They’re planning how to trick you.’”

Magnificent! Spellbinding! I am beside myself with delight! “Bleated” if you will! (Like “belated”, but like elated… but it’s…sheep, you get it. I’m only making the one pun, I promise.) A murder mystery taking place in a calm, Irish meadow, told from the perspective of the slayed shepherd’s sheep? Each of those sheep having distinct, often philosophical personalities, manners, tones?? Having to parse out very human behavior, belongings, and actions from the minds and language of flock animals prone to musing??? Sign me the frick up. Ultimately, “Three Bags Full” was a decidedly human mystery, but through sheer (shear) and fanciful style, Swann pulls the wool over your eyes until the very end. Oh no, I punned again!

“Bags” was an intensely clever book. I perused a few other reviews and found some readers struggled with perspective translation. I think, for me at least, this was one of the more satisfying parts of the novel. Stuff like sheep describing the letter “A” as a bird’s beak pointed to the sky with a line through the middle. Or specific smells associated with fear, and anger. Whimsical! Then again, you don’t have to big think it: trust the process, Swann will get you there. 

5/5 This will be a top contender for Book of the Year for me. And, in the future, when anyone asks my favorite book, this will cross my mind. Completely smitten!