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A review by lucysgoodfellow
The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot
2.0
ARC provided by the Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Publication Date 23 Aug 2019
I wanted flesh and blood,
not ghosts.
A disappointing book with interesting intentions but a lacklustre execution.
I feel like the format could have really worked with the themes discussed in the book- fragmented style reflecting grief etc but it was lacking in plot due to the inability to introduce a conflict effectively. Some 'poems' were purely exposition and others were purely abstract yet all were lacking in a strong voice that I feel like a collection like this really needs.
Unfortunately, I feel like the same effect could have been had with a short story format or in a poetry pamphlet.
The imagery was morose and effective for the purpose of the book. However, it became repetitive very quickly. This is the same for the motifs and symbols used.
A format that I would find more interesting would have been if the book was written from alternating perspectives in a similar way to [b:The Bluest Eye|11337|The Bluest Eye|Toni Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388208495s/11337.jpg|1987778] by [a:Toni Morrison|3534|Toni Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1494211316p2/3534.jpg]. Different perspectives could have allowed for a detached observation of Lottie and alienated her from the reader in the same way she feels alienated from her peers. Her perspective would have been a breath of fresh air if this was the case.
Publication Date 23 Aug 2019
I wanted flesh and blood,
not ghosts.
A disappointing book with interesting intentions but a lacklustre execution.
I feel like the format could have really worked with the themes discussed in the book- fragmented style reflecting grief etc but it was lacking in plot due to the inability to introduce a conflict effectively. Some 'poems' were purely exposition and others were purely abstract yet all were lacking in a strong voice that I feel like a collection like this really needs.
Unfortunately, I feel like the same effect could have been had with a short story format or in a poetry pamphlet.
The imagery was morose and effective for the purpose of the book. However, it became repetitive very quickly. This is the same for the motifs and symbols used.
A format that I would find more interesting would have been if the book was written from alternating perspectives in a similar way to [b:The Bluest Eye|11337|The Bluest Eye|Toni Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388208495s/11337.jpg|1987778] by [a:Toni Morrison|3534|Toni Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1494211316p2/3534.jpg]. Different perspectives could have allowed for a detached observation of Lottie and alienated her from the reader in the same way she feels alienated from her peers. Her perspective would have been a breath of fresh air if this was the case.