books_with_kayleigh's review against another edition
5.0
What an interesting concept, well executed.
We follow serial killer Ansel as well as three women connected to him. We learn how he affected their lives, and also see things through his eyes as he contemplates the reality of his situation on death row and his own reflections on his arrest.
The Women we hear from aren't his victims, but there is a connection. The murders themselves are also not detailed, in a purposeful move to ensure that that is not the focus of the book.
The writing was beautiful - it was lyrical at times and very captivating.
I really enjoyed the reimagined futures of the victims are the end - and the reflection that to often they are not remembered for anything other than being a victim, and that it is the killers name that becomes famous.
We follow serial killer Ansel as well as three women connected to him. We learn how he affected their lives, and also see things through his eyes as he contemplates the reality of his situation on death row and his own reflections on his arrest.
The Women we hear from aren't his victims, but there is a connection. The murders themselves are also not detailed, in a purposeful move to ensure that that is not the focus of the book.
The writing was beautiful - it was lyrical at times and very captivating.
I really enjoyed the reimagined futures of the victims are the end - and the reflection that to often they are not remembered for anything other than being a victim, and that it is the killers name that becomes famous.
jheinemann287's review against another edition
5.0
So I don't even write fiction, but I'm somehow still envious of Danya Kukafka for writing and publishing this novel before the age of 30.
These characters will stick with me. I wanted to hug sweet, two-year-old Ansel, carrying around his baby brother. I wanted to chill on the mountain with older Lavender and her hippie friends -- as long as we could invite that absolute legend of a woman Minnie, too. I want to debate with Saffy about whether she fucked up, let her emotions get the best of her, when she confronted Ansel's niece and sister-in-law. And I admire how not even the minor characters -- the warden, the prison guard -- are simple.
Ironically, what's interesting about Ansel's character is that he's not all that interesting. He is pitiable and sympathetic but only as far as all humans are pitiable and sympathetic. He isn't a brilliant, charming mastermind (unlike TSwift, amiright). He's a guy with a traumatic past who never got therapy and can't control his shit and so hurts animals and people. Lots of people suffer trauma and manage not to kill people. His growth, his good intentions, his earnest attempts to explore human nature in his crushingly mediocre "theory" -- none of that can make up for the lives he took. (That doesn't necessarily mean justify the death penalty as a response, of course, and I appreciate how the novel doesn't shy away from that discussion either.)
Kukafka also gave me a solid hit of my favorite genre: motherhood angst. When Lavender asks her husband to hold their crying son for a moment, he gives her a look so ugly that Lavender thinks it "must have originated inside Lavender herself." As he leaves the room, Lavender thinks, "This was how it always went, wasn't it? All those women who'd come before her, in caves and tents and covered wagons. It was a wonder how she'd never given much thought to the ancient, timeless fact. Motherhood was, by nature, a thing you did alone" (18).
TL;DR - I didn't realize there was hype surrounding this book -- maybe because I'm not on TikTok -- and only picked it up for one of my book clubs. But it's one of the best books I've read this year.
These characters will stick with me. I wanted to hug sweet, two-year-old Ansel, carrying around his baby brother. I wanted to chill on the mountain with older Lavender and her hippie friends -- as long as we could invite that absolute legend of a woman Minnie, too. I want to debate with Saffy about whether she fucked up, let her emotions get the best of her, when she confronted Ansel's niece and sister-in-law. And I admire how not even the minor characters -- the warden, the prison guard -- are simple.
Ironically, what's interesting about Ansel's character is that he's not all that interesting. He is pitiable and sympathetic but only as far as all humans are pitiable and sympathetic. He isn't a brilliant, charming mastermind (unlike TSwift, amiright). He's a guy with a traumatic past who never got therapy and can't control his shit and so hurts animals and people. Lots of people suffer trauma and manage not to kill people. His growth, his good intentions, his earnest attempts to explore human nature in his crushingly mediocre "theory" -- none of that can make up for the lives he took. (That doesn't necessarily mean justify the death penalty as a response, of course, and I appreciate how the novel doesn't shy away from that discussion either.)
Kukafka also gave me a solid hit of my favorite genre: motherhood angst. When Lavender asks her husband to hold their crying son for a moment, he gives her a look so ugly that Lavender thinks it "must have originated inside Lavender herself." As he leaves the room, Lavender thinks, "This was how it always went, wasn't it? All those women who'd come before her, in caves and tents and covered wagons. It was a wonder how she'd never given much thought to the ancient, timeless fact. Motherhood was, by nature, a thing you did alone" (18).
TL;DR - I didn't realize there was hype surrounding this book -- maybe because I'm not on TikTok -- and only picked it up for one of my book clubs. But it's one of the best books I've read this year.
guardianang's review against another edition
4.0
The first 30% of this book was a page-turne. Unfortunately, the pace didn't stay that way and the last 70% lagged.
bexhobson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-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
4.25
sarahbeth10's review against another edition
5.0
Engrossing story! Very well written and excellent character development. I was so invested!
gabi___mn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lomas's review against another edition
4.0
4+ stars
At times this book is brutal,and harsh,and throughout it left me feeling uncomfortable.
It's also beautifully written and will stay with me a long time.
I've not heard of this author before ,but this book has just skimmed into my best books of 2021 in the last few weeks.
Superb.
At times this book is brutal,and harsh,and throughout it left me feeling uncomfortable.
It's also beautifully written and will stay with me a long time.
I've not heard of this author before ,but this book has just skimmed into my best books of 2021 in the last few weeks.
Superb.
lyndsayreads's review against another edition
3.0
I think the idea of this book is so interesting. The story of a serial killer told through the eyes of three women who are connected with either him or his victims. That sounds like the blueprint for a book that I could absolutely love. Unfortunately, that just wasn't the case.
The writing is the book was actually excellent. I got to know the characters really well, the imagery was vivid, and the author did a really good job of painting the story in my mind. However, I felt like the book was way too surface-level. There were some choices made story-wise that just didn't make sense to me. We never really got a clear understanding of why this man began murdering people. Much of the book is actually told from the killer's perspective in a 2nd person POV setting, which I didn't really love because it made it seem more like we're supposed to sympathize and empathize with the killer rather than the victims or the families of the victims.
Overall, this book had so much potential and it really just let me down. I truly felt like this was a book I could love. And given that it has pretty great reviews, I was expecting a lot from it. But it just wasn't necessarily the perfect book for me. However, I definitely think it's an accessible read and there are people out there who could enjoy it far more than I did. So if it sounds like your thing, I recommend giving it a go.
The writing is the book was actually excellent. I got to know the characters really well, the imagery was vivid, and the author did a really good job of painting the story in my mind. However, I felt like the book was way too surface-level. There were some choices made story-wise that just didn't make sense to me. We never really got a clear understanding of why this man began murdering people. Much of the book is actually told from the killer's perspective in a 2nd person POV setting, which I didn't really love because it made it seem more like we're supposed to sympathize and empathize with the killer rather than the victims or the families of the victims.
Overall, this book had so much potential and it really just let me down. I truly felt like this was a book I could love. And given that it has pretty great reviews, I was expecting a lot from it. But it just wasn't necessarily the perfect book for me. However, I definitely think it's an accessible read and there are people out there who could enjoy it far more than I did. So if it sounds like your thing, I recommend giving it a go.