uniskorn's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Really enjoyed the perspective of the crow and its juxtaposition within a grieving family. The Boys were my second favorite perspective. Porter brings up a lot of parallels and I wish he'd expand on them instead of mentioning them and moving on. In a way, I wish it was longer or more in depth, but I did like the poetic narration style. The ending packed a huge punch and was by far the strongest part of the book. I wish that more of the book had packed that same punch.
renee_reads_horror's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sahaar's review against another edition
4.0
100th (and last) read of the year!
this poetically written slim novel is a profound meditation on grief through the point of view of a man and his twin sons suffering from the loss of a wife and mother.
a crow becomes kind of a “grief counselor”, serving as an outlet for the wide range of emotions that accompany loss. i found it extremely poetic and creative. what a way to end the year.
this poetically written slim novel is a profound meditation on grief through the point of view of a man and his twin sons suffering from the loss of a wife and mother.
a crow becomes kind of a “grief counselor”, serving as an outlet for the wide range of emotions that accompany loss. i found it extremely poetic and creative. what a way to end the year.
evvahoo's review against another edition
5.0
oh god...I don't know how to describe this book. I don't know how to give justice to this wonderful mixture of poetry and prose. Definitely a 5 stars read for me but it left me dismayed. I had never thought that a kind of more experimental book could have such an emotional impact on me.
It was a poignant read about a family (a father and his two sons) who have just lost their mother. A crow sort of intervenes in their life and almost becomes a family member.
It is based on, or inspired by Ted Hughes' Crow which I have not look at in depth but I sort of had a quick look at it and read about it online which, I suppose, helped me to even more appreciate this wonderful piece of literature.
I had put it off for ages because I had always been kind of apprehensive to take it up. It was a moving read and should be interesting for everyone as it is quite accesible and, maybe, also a great way to get into poetry.
One of my favourite books of this year so far!
It was a poignant read about a family (a father and his two sons) who have just lost their mother. A crow sort of intervenes in their life and almost becomes a family member.
It is based on, or inspired by Ted Hughes' Crow which I have not look at in depth but I sort of had a quick look at it and read about it online which, I suppose, helped me to even more appreciate this wonderful piece of literature.
I had put it off for ages because I had always been kind of apprehensive to take it up. It was a moving read and should be interesting for everyone as it is quite accesible and, maybe, also a great way to get into poetry.
One of my favourite books of this year so far!
verlkonig's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know how to shelve this.
Grief is the Thing with Feathers is a bizarre reading experience, and I think I liked it. It's a strange combination of not-quite-poetry, not-quite-novel, following the family of a mother who died.
The grieving family ('Dad' and 'Boys') are visited by 'Crow', ostensibly to help them through the stages of grief. Crow is a character who is at times malevolent, at times sympathetic, at times protective, and narrates passages like:
Head down, tot-along, looking.
Head down, hop-down, totter.
Look up. LOUD, HARD AND INDIGNANT
KRAAH NOTES (Collins Guide to Birds, p. 45.)
It's unlike anything I've ever read before. There were moments that made me choke with laughter (try reading a line like "BIRD FEATHERS UP YER CRACK, DOWN YER COCK-EYE" on a sleeping plane to test your willpower over reflexive guffawing), but there were also astoundingly beautiful passages filled with sincerity.
It was an entirely refreshing experience if nothing else, and at only 114 pages is a very fast read. However, I'm sure that this is a book that may divide people.
Grief is the Thing with Feathers is a bizarre reading experience, and I think I liked it. It's a strange combination of not-quite-poetry, not-quite-novel, following the family of a mother who died.
The grieving family ('Dad' and 'Boys') are visited by 'Crow', ostensibly to help them through the stages of grief. Crow is a character who is at times malevolent, at times sympathetic, at times protective, and narrates passages like:
Head down, tot-along, looking.
Head down, hop-down, totter.
Look up. LOUD, HARD AND INDIGNANT
KRAAH NOTES (Collins Guide to Birds, p. 45.)
It's unlike anything I've ever read before. There were moments that made me choke with laughter (try reading a line like "BIRD FEATHERS UP YER CRACK, DOWN YER COCK-EYE" on a sleeping plane to test your willpower over reflexive guffawing), but there were also astoundingly beautiful passages filled with sincerity.
It was an entirely refreshing experience if nothing else, and at only 114 pages is a very fast read. However, I'm sure that this is a book that may divide people.
theroyalgremlin's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75