Scan barcode
breadbummer's review
funny
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
4.0
Can we please get more books narrated by weird old women??? Because of this type of main character, I don't think I've ever read a book quite like this. I'll admit, it did seem kind of slow to me in some parts but, even at these sections, just like with Duszejko's love of astrology, paying attention to the tiniest details is key to figuring out what's going on. I definitely had my suspicions as the book progressed, but I was still glued to the page when everything was revealed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Confinement, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
carojust's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I'd read Olga Tokarczuk write about paint drying.
This was so much fun -- unreliable narrator, small clues everywhere, small town characters and cozy soups, forest animals and bugs. And as an astrology girlie, I couldn't not enjoy the extensive musings on birth charts and aspects; I knew these parts would lose a lot of people, and that's what's so incredibly ingenious. This all created a mystical world guided by the laws of nature, and our narrator the omniscient and moral light in the cold night.
I really love that this narrator is an older woman, who reminds us constantly how she's dismissed as a lunatic, and largely ignored and forgotten by the community. It's especially brilliant in the unraveling.
I highly recommend this if you are interested in translated fiction, sleuthy mysteries, and really beautiful, intelligent writing.
This was so much fun -- unreliable narrator, small clues everywhere, small town characters and cozy soups, forest animals and bugs. And as an astrology girlie, I couldn't not enjoy the extensive musings on birth charts and aspects; I knew these parts would lose a lot of people, and that's what's so incredibly ingenious. This all created a mystical world guided by the laws of nature, and our narrator the omniscient and moral light in the cold night.
I really love that this narrator is an older woman, who reminds us constantly how she's dismissed as a lunatic, and largely ignored and forgotten by the community. It's especially brilliant in the unraveling.
I highly recommend this if you are interested in translated fiction, sleuthy mysteries, and really beautiful, intelligent writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
adrireism's review
Plot seems interesting, but it is slow and the writing is too simple for what I expected from a Nobel prize. I really wanted to know the outcome of the mystery but I’m bored.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Blood
almostqualified's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Violence and Murder
Minor: Ableism, Chronic illness, and Blood
melodyseestrees'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
4.25
I saw the reveal coming from the first body. The story dragged in many places and there wasn't a twist to speak of but the characters were all more or less interesting. The prose was well done. I can't speak to the accuracy of the horoscopes being shown but I suppose it doesn't matter if I believe it, so long as Duszejko does. You can also track the pattern you believe to be real when you are the one making sure a person dies on the specific day their horoscope tells you. I do wish there was a bit more sleuthing involved but the experience was still relatively enjoyable. Give yourself time to actually enjoy the story but don't expect a fast-past gorefest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Gun violence, Vomit, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury
crybabybea's review
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
What a delightfully weird book. One of the most unique narrators I've ever read.
This is technically a thriller I guess, since it includes a murder mystery, but I'm not sure if it would appeal to general thriller enjoyers as the pacing is actually quite slow and we spend a lot of time in our main character's head than actually in the action. I loved the unreliable narrator and the fact that she's a different type of main character for a thriller read. She's not a cop, or a PI, or even anyone that matters to the investigation. She's just a "normal" (she's actually incredibly odd) person who just finds herself in the middle of a string of murders in a small Polish town. I super enjoyed how she makes you question your own judgment. It felt a bit like a noir film with her unique perspective on the world and the way she constantly narrates the most mundane, seemingly irrelevant things.
For a while we spent so long in the main character's narration that I wondered what was going to happen and where the story was going. But the ending picks up quite a bit and I found it super satisfying and fun.
This is technically a thriller I guess, since it includes a murder mystery, but I'm not sure if it would appeal to general thriller enjoyers as the pacing is actually quite slow and we spend a lot of time in our main character's head than actually in the action. I loved the unreliable narrator and the fact that she's a different type of main character for a thriller read. She's not a cop, or a PI, or even anyone that matters to the investigation. She's just a "normal" (she's actually incredibly odd) person who just finds herself in the middle of a string of murders in a small Polish town. I super enjoyed how she makes you question your own judgment. It felt a bit like a noir film with her unique perspective on the world and the way she constantly narrates the most mundane, seemingly irrelevant things.
For a while we spent so long in the main character's narration that I wondered what was going to happen and where the story was going. But the ending picks up quite a bit and I found it super satisfying and fun.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
bomenvernietiger's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"In unison, they set about tearing up the plants that had been growing around their house until now, in order to plant others that they'd bought at a shop. It was hard to tell what logic was driving them."
"Deep inside their anthill, the Ants cling to each other in a large ball and sleep like that until spring. I only wish people had the same sort of confidence in each other."
'"Why are you crying?" I asked.
"You're so kind..."
"I know," I replied.
"What about you? Why are you crying?" he said.
That I didn't know.'
"Deep inside their anthill, the Ants cling to each other in a large ball and sleep like that until spring. I only wish people had the same sort of confidence in each other."
'"Why are you crying?" I asked.
"You're so kind..."
"I know," I replied.
"What about you? Why are you crying?" he said.
That I didn't know.'
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, and Alcoholism
chloeam3103's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, and Blood
dizzzybrook's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I adored everything about this book. I’ve found myself becoming increasingly bored with literary mystery/thriller books written from the POV of an unreliable narrator but Tokarczuk’s execution here is really great. Janina is one of my favorite literary characters that I’ve read in quite a while. Honestly, this book could have had absolutely no plot and I would have considered it a six star book anyways based on how incredible I found the prose alone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Violence, and Blood
liesbethvv's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This book had been on my TBR for so long and I’m happy BOB bookclub finally made me pick it up. It read like a gloomy thriller with an unreliable narrator and a big focus on the main characters loathing of hunting and killing animals.
The set-up was predictable (to me) yet executed in an entertaining way.
I could have done without the lengthy rants about astrology, though they did feel like part of the main character’s eccentricities. If you’d like to read something of
The set-up was predictable (to me) yet executed in an entertaining way.
I could have done without the lengthy rants about astrology, though they did feel like part of the main character’s eccentricities. If you’d like to read something of
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness and Blood