starrscratch's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
5.0
Please read it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty
thebechdelbitch's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow. I absolutely loved this book. I was completely taken in by the main character, who I found extremely lovable despite they'know, murder and I found imagery of animals and animal death to be tragically beautiful.
It reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived In the Castle (another favourite of mine) in the rituals and idiosyncrasies of its narrators, both of whom believe that outside forces (astrology, magic) will save them. Both narratives never fully decide whether they are right or wrong.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quirky and fun narrator/narrative style, with something extremely dark under the surface.
It reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived In the Castle (another favourite of mine) in the rituals and idiosyncrasies of its narrators, both of whom believe that outside forces (astrology, magic) will save them. Both narratives never fully decide whether they are right or wrong.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quirky and fun narrator/narrative style, with something extremely dark under the surface.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Animal death, and Gore
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Misogyny
Minor: Medical content
amilabell's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
neontulips's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
minareadsa19e1's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Death, and Murder
sylexlibris's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Animal cruelty
rebekkamafia's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Murder, and Animal death
proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Janina Duszejko bor på den polska landsbygden där hon studerar astrologi och ser till rika Warszawabors sommarställen när de inte är där. Hon har några grannar, men spenderar hellre tid med djuren än med människorna. När en av grannarna hittas död är det bara början på en rad märkliga dödsfall. Janina är övertygad om att det är djuren som hämnas, men hon blir naturligtvis avfärdad som en "tokkärring".
Det här är en omläsning för min bokcirkel. Första gången lyssnade jag på Radioföljetongen, i uppläsning av Gunilla Abrahamsson, och nu lyssnade jag igen, men med Marie Richardson i uppläsarrollen.
Jag kan förstå om den här boken inte faller alla i smaken. Huvudpersonen är lite udda och hennes handlingar kanske inte helt lätt att förstå alla gånger. Själv blir jag ofta förtjust i udda personligheter - åtminstone när de befinner sig på sidorna i en bok! Den bok som jag kommer att tänka på som jämförelse är "Coyote" av Gabrielle Filteau-Chiba; båda böckerna har en djur- och naturälskande ensam kvinna i huvudrollen som slåss mot tjuvjägare och deras brott. Så om du har läst "Coyote" och gillade den så är det hyfsat sannolikt att du även gillar "Styr din plog över de dödas ben". Själv föredrar jag Tokarczuks bok, men kan inte riktigt sätta fingret på varför. Titeln är för övrigt ett citat av poeten William Blake, som även han spelar en viss roll för historien!
Det här är en omläsning för min bokcirkel. Första gången lyssnade jag på Radioföljetongen, i uppläsning av Gunilla Abrahamsson, och nu lyssnade jag igen, men med Marie Richardson i uppläsarrollen.
Jag kan förstå om den här boken inte faller alla i smaken. Huvudpersonen är lite udda och hennes handlingar kanske inte helt lätt att förstå alla gånger. Själv blir jag ofta förtjust i udda personligheter - åtminstone när de befinner sig på sidorna i en bok! Den bok som jag kommer att tänka på som jämförelse är "Coyote" av Gabrielle Filteau-Chiba; båda böckerna har en djur- och naturälskande ensam kvinna i huvudrollen som slåss mot tjuvjägare och deras brott. Så om du har läst "Coyote" och gillade den så är det hyfsat sannolikt att du även gillar "Styr din plog över de dödas ben". Själv föredrar jag Tokarczuks bok, men kan inte riktigt sätta fingret på varför. Titeln är för övrigt ett citat av poeten William Blake, som även han spelar en viss roll för historien!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal cruelty, Death, and Animal death
_maia3_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Considering I quite like plot-light books and don't care awfully for mystery, this book suited me perfectly. I found the narrator endearing and continued reading more out of an interest in her rather than the murders.
Which was fortunate, as honestly I think this book has been mislabeled. This isn't a typical genre fiction book - more like a fictional memoir concerning the events of a mystery rather than a detective-culprit story. I did feel a little cheated when this clicked, but again, the mystery wasn't my first priority anyway.
The entire setting toes the line between being real and unreal, and this adds to the overall atmosphere of the unreliable narrator who is, technically, correct. To explore morality, lines between humans and animals are intentionally blurred whilst making police and church corruption blatant - it felt very fable-like whilst also being realistic.
Read this book if you enjoy odd, liminal little stories with morality as a central theme.
Which was fortunate, as honestly I think this book has been mislabeled. This isn't a typical genre fiction book - more like a fictional memoir concerning the events of a mystery rather than a detective-culprit story. I did feel a little cheated when this clicked, but again, the mystery wasn't my first priority anyway.
The entire setting toes the line between being real and unreal, and this adds to the overall atmosphere of the unreliable narrator who is, technically, correct. To explore morality, lines between humans and animals are intentionally blurred whilst making police and church corruption blatant - it felt very fable-like whilst also being realistic.
Read this book if you enjoy odd, liminal little stories with morality as a central theme.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Grief
amandadelbrocco's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I absolutely loved the writing in this, and the general atmosphere of the book. It was definitely paced a little too slowly for my interest.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty