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A review by em_harring
Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman
1.0
I honestly don't know why I kept reading this novel. I knew it wasn't going to be for me not even thirty pages in, when Malerman decides to refer to one of the characters as a 'digger'––a term that has negative connotations (to keep it polite) towards indigenous peoples, particularly during the 1800s (around the time period I'd place this novel within). Now, you might say, 'oh well the novel refers to grave diggers as diggers,' which is true. But, this character is a maid, not a grave digger, and there's absolutely no indication as to why this character would be referred to as such. Especially considering the fact that we're supposed to believe the maid and the main character, Carol, are close (which is never shown to us in the novel, but I'll get to that).
Now, I'm going to rant a bit, but in case you don't want to be spoiled, my main concerns are: pacing (this book drags and then the ending is basically told to us, not shown, and it concludes so fast––seriously, the showdown between Moxie and Smoke? So boring; there's no character development––their motivations are surface level, at best; and the plot is suitable for a novella, not for an almost four hundred page novel. There just wasn't enough to keep the story engaging.
Why do I need to be told over and over that Smoke doesn't have legs? I know. I get it. I also get the fact that Moxie is an outlaw––no need to tell me over and over and over again. I haven't forgotten.
Why, when this novel is about a woman's illness, is so much of the novel told from male perspectives? Carol is barely a character, and the book is named after her.
This novel relies way too much on telling, instead of showing, which is lazy writing.
Why did Reinaldo come back? How did he come back? I don't just want to be told 'oh it was magic.' That's lazy writing, and holy deux ex machina, batman.
And, lastly, WAY TO MAKE THE ENTIRE NOVEL POINTLESS BY REVEALING THE FACT THAT CAROL KNEW HER MOTHER HAD BUILT HER A SPECIAL CASKET TO BE DELIVERED AT HER FUNERAL IN CASE SHE WAS BURIED ALIVE. WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS NOVEL THEN? WHY? WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
So. Yeah. Don't read this book.
Now, I'm going to rant a bit, but in case you don't want to be spoiled, my main concerns are: pacing (this book drags and then the ending is basically told to us, not shown, and it concludes so fast––seriously, the showdown between Moxie and Smoke? So boring; there's no character development––their motivations are surface level, at best; and the plot is suitable for a novella, not for an almost four hundred page novel. There just wasn't enough to keep the story engaging.
Spoiler
I didn't understand a lot of this novel, because the writing is (in no way worthy of being compared to Cormac McCarthy) vague and repetitive. Like, who is Rot? What is Rot? Is it a monster? A metaphor? What is Rot's motivation? Why does it decide to target Carol now, when she's lived for forty years? What am I supposed to do with this ambiguous 'character'?Why do I need to be told over and over that Smoke doesn't have legs? I know. I get it. I also get the fact that Moxie is an outlaw––no need to tell me over and over and over again. I haven't forgotten.
Why, when this novel is about a woman's illness, is so much of the novel told from male perspectives? Carol is barely a character, and the book is named after her.
This novel relies way too much on telling, instead of showing, which is lazy writing.
Why did Reinaldo come back? How did he come back? I don't just want to be told 'oh it was magic.' That's lazy writing, and holy deux ex machina, batman.
And, lastly, WAY TO MAKE THE ENTIRE NOVEL POINTLESS BY REVEALING THE FACT THAT CAROL KNEW HER MOTHER HAD BUILT HER A SPECIAL CASKET TO BE DELIVERED AT HER FUNERAL IN CASE SHE WAS BURIED ALIVE. WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS NOVEL THEN? WHY? WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
So. Yeah. Don't read this book.