kgierz's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
__karen__'s review against another edition
5.0
This is a uniquely beautiful story about an orphan goat. Of course, the story can also be viewed as commentary on the human condition. Murugan has such kindness for his characters. Highly recommended.
honeytangerine's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Poignant and so wonderful! The translation too is very smooth and a pleasure to read
deepakchecks's review against another edition
4.0
A mysterious man is seen wandering around with a goat kid, looking exhausted and worried. The goat's birth itself was a miracle, he said, before gifting the goat to a farmer. The farmer's wife names the goat Poonachi, in remembrance of a cat she had. The story then follows Poonachi's life - her initial struggles, romance, role of mother; while also parallelly depicting the farmers life involving a temporary prosperous phase, popularity, followed by struggle, famine and so on.
Only a person who loves and has deep knowledge of animals and village life can conjure such vivid prose. Beautifully written, this is a soft, affecting work.
Only a person who loves and has deep knowledge of animals and village life can conjure such vivid prose. Beautifully written, this is a soft, affecting work.
lizziematata's review against another edition
3.0
Poonachi is a goat. She’s the goat. The goat this story is about. She was once tiny and playful and then, all of the sudden, not. She is (supposed to be) a representation of life. Of living. By anthropomorphizing her. She has thoughts and feelings, but a lot of them are—to say the least—depressing. I certainly hope this is not what life is like for many people, women, nor even goats. Unfortunately, goats are not typically pets, so I understand (to a certain extent) why Murugan felt the necessity to portray this realism of how goats are used to sustain life, but at least 10% of the book could have been eliminated and still could have portrayed this. Through Poonachi you get a look at village life in India, and that’s great, and it’s great that Poonachi herself has thoughts and feelings about certain things in her life—the happy and the sad, and it is a feat that she was able to endure it all in this life she lived of being nurtured, nurturing, and loss…and more loss. However, it is a bit graphic at times. It’s repetitive in ways it doesn’t need to be, and there are some questions left unanswered.
So, if you want as gripping of a read as a newborn goat suckling on a teat, The Story of a Goat is for you. I get that breast feeding is where a good portion of life, growth, and nurturing come from. I also understand that this is one of the most powerful tools women have—producing life and nourishing it. However, I do not understand why every other paragraph has to bring this up. There are other benefits to not only motherhood, but to womanhood as well. Sure, they’re mentioned; the hard work of bringing up a family in general, the love and intoxication that comes with deep conversations with other female friends and family members, and the kindness that women generally have for their animals. This story is about anthropomorphizing Poonachi, yes, but people tend to already do that to their pets, and you can see it in the way the woman in the story cares for Poonachi versus the way the man does. These features, this love, this concern for one’s pet and a woman’s concern in general for many things, are shown, not told, which I appreciate, but at the same time, a lot of what was also shown was essentially a how-to on raising goats. Oil cakes, rice water, and forcing the suckling on others’ teats! Oh my!
Even getting past that, the story just begins to get more depressing and the reader (at least myself) starts to question the purpose—of everything. Because of Poonachi. Because of her owners. And because of how the story begins and ends. A lot of The Story of a Goat is beautiful and insightful, and emotional. But a lot of it is also…concerning. I see why people love this, I do, but I, personally, can’t get past certain details, if you will. The overall beauty of the words and a lot of the portrayal presented is why I give this a 3 and not a 2.
So, if you want as gripping of a read as a newborn goat suckling on a teat, The Story of a Goat is for you. I get that breast feeding is where a good portion of life, growth, and nurturing come from. I also understand that this is one of the most powerful tools women have—producing life and nourishing it. However, I do not understand why every other paragraph has to bring this up. There are other benefits to not only motherhood, but to womanhood as well. Sure, they’re mentioned; the hard work of bringing up a family in general, the love and intoxication that comes with deep conversations with other female friends and family members, and the kindness that women generally have for their animals. This story is about anthropomorphizing Poonachi, yes, but people tend to already do that to their pets, and you can see it in the way the woman in the story cares for Poonachi versus the way the man does. These features, this love, this concern for one’s pet and a woman’s concern in general for many things, are shown, not told, which I appreciate, but at the same time, a lot of what was also shown was essentially a how-to on raising goats. Oil cakes, rice water, and forcing the suckling on others’ teats! Oh my!
Even getting past that, the story just begins to get more depressing and the reader (at least myself) starts to question the purpose—of everything. Because of Poonachi. Because of her owners. And because of how the story begins and ends. A lot of The Story of a Goat is beautiful and insightful, and emotional. But a lot of it is also…concerning. I see why people love this, I do, but I, personally, can’t get past certain details, if you will. The overall beauty of the words and a lot of the portrayal presented is why I give this a 3 and not a 2.
greatlibraryofalexandra's review
5.0
A book about the rural life of an anthropomorphized goat? Surely its some sort of book for children, or a gory horror story, or something altogether weird and eerie? No - just something unique and beautiful.
I don't know how I'd explain this book or convince someone to read it, or even who I would recommend it to - but its so good. It works so well despite having a premise that kind of feels like it wouldn't work at all. The book is told from Poonachi - the goat's - point of view, which gives the impression it would be childish/for kids. Its set in a rural farm area where the humans have no names, and are given little characterization; the focus is on the goats. You could be tricked into thinking it would be dull or off-putting, or if not both.
Many ways to interpret this book, and likely interpretation is deeply emotional and subjective - what I can say is that I felt this was a quiet and gentle look at the way humans begin to devalue love and personal connection when tempted by material things. It was also a commentary on the lack of female agency in patriarchal societies, as well as a look at government oppression and caste. I was alternately immensely amused and heartbroken while reading this.
IN A STORY ABOUT A SWEET LITTLE GOAT.
Honestly, the talent behind short books packs such a punch. You have to possess real skill to stuff such a small book with this sort of filling.
Strong vibes similar to Animal Farm, The Velveteen Rabbit, and Steinbeck's "The Pearl." Its also originally written in Tamil.
I don't know how I'd explain this book or convince someone to read it, or even who I would recommend it to - but its so good. It works so well despite having a premise that kind of feels like it wouldn't work at all. The book is told from Poonachi - the goat's - point of view, which gives the impression it would be childish/for kids. Its set in a rural farm area where the humans have no names, and are given little characterization; the focus is on the goats. You could be tricked into thinking it would be dull or off-putting, or if not both.
Many ways to interpret this book, and likely interpretation is deeply emotional and subjective - what I can say is that I felt this was a quiet and gentle look at the way humans begin to devalue love and personal connection when tempted by material things. It was also a commentary on the lack of female agency in patriarchal societies, as well as a look at government oppression and caste. I was alternately immensely amused and heartbroken while reading this.
IN A STORY ABOUT A SWEET LITTLE GOAT.
Honestly, the talent behind short books packs such a punch. You have to possess real skill to stuff such a small book with this sort of filling.
Strong vibes similar to Animal Farm, The Velveteen Rabbit, and Steinbeck's "The Pearl." Its also originally written in Tamil.
readingweadinglire's review against another edition
I don’t think I fully understood the book. But what I did get was wonderful. We are shown village life in India, social commentary, and priceless wisdom all through the eyes of a goat. Lots to think on and sit with. The writing was simple but the ideas were big. Too big for my brain sometimes.
taxidermies's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
snehailango's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0