thereistime's review
3.0
This was an ok read, I didn't outright hate the characters or story, it just left me wanting more.
The characters seemed very two-dimensional, none of the Savages had much going on in their lives other than cannibalism. It was pointed out how weird it was that the family was so fixated on food though which was a small redemption.
The plot was lacking in my opinion, with not much happening in the first 3/4 of the book, and when things did happen, they seemed to come completely out of left field, go on for a page and then that was it. There wasn't enough suspense or tension for my liking.
The characters seemed very two-dimensional, none of the Savages had much going on in their lives other than cannibalism. It was pointed out how weird it was that the family was so fixated on food though which was a small redemption.
The plot was lacking in my opinion, with not much happening in the first 3/4 of the book, and when things did happen, they seemed to come completely out of left field, go on for a page and then that was it. There wasn't enough suspense or tension for my liking.
angelofthetardis's review
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
This is the closest you'll find me getting to 'seasonal reading'. The easiest comparison is definitely 'The Addams Family' - it's lighthearted for spooky season, but comes with a side order of horror movie.
The Savages are a fairly normal family. Mum overindulges in designer clothes; Dad works too hard; brother has a penchant for pranks and sister's going through her vegetarian phase. Which would be fine, except for the part where it's a family tradition to enjoy the odd feast of human flesh. So it's not great when a PI starts nosing around Dad's dodgy dealings... or when a prank goes slightly awry...
First of all, I love the fact that there is a proper set up to this premise; it's not just a plot point. The author has done a little bit of research into history and built his family accordingly. So while it's definitely a bit 'out there', the family tradition is explained in such a way that is actually believable. It's woven into the story really well too.
Equally, it's a great exploration of what happens when someone wants to free themselves from tradition and find their own path. In this case, Sasha, the daughter, is simply trying to impress a boy at school, but in the process learns a few things about herself. Examining this through the lens of meat eating vs vegetarianism vs veganism is quite clever because it's such a simple thing that people choose, but in here every part of the spectrum is included, and indeed closes the loop! It speaks of the pressures teens are put under and put themselves under, and ultimately finding the strength to take your own stance.
The writing manages to strike a really good balance between character and plot. All of the characters are well fleshed out and pop off the page for their own reasons, and each serves the wider story well and takes a turn in the spotlight. I wouldn't say it's laugh out loud funny, but it is humorous, and while it's not gory or a full on bloodbath, it's not exactly a normal Sunday lunch they're preparing. But overall, unless you are a really sensitive reader this is a tale you can take with a pinch of seasoning and just tuck into and enjoy.
I think the only letdown for me is the ending. There are moments in the narrative that indicate the writer is speaking of events that have already occurred and do you do get an indication of the way things are heading, but it's not 100% clear until you get there. It does round off the story to a good clean conclusion, but I almost wanted more ambiguity, or a return to 'normal' after the story's crescendo.
Overall an enjoyable read. And I know just the person to pass this book onto!
The Savages are a fairly normal family. Mum overindulges in designer clothes; Dad works too hard; brother has a penchant for pranks and sister's going through her vegetarian phase. Which would be fine, except for the part where it's a family tradition to enjoy the odd feast of human flesh. So it's not great when a PI starts nosing around Dad's dodgy dealings... or when a prank goes slightly awry...
First of all, I love the fact that there is a proper set up to this premise; it's not just a plot point. The author has done a little bit of research into history and built his family accordingly. So while it's definitely a bit 'out there', the family tradition is explained in such a way that is actually believable. It's woven into the story really well too.
Equally, it's a great exploration of what happens when someone wants to free themselves from tradition and find their own path. In this case, Sasha, the daughter, is simply trying to impress a boy at school, but in the process learns a few things about herself. Examining this through the lens of meat eating vs vegetarianism vs veganism is quite clever because it's such a simple thing that people choose, but in here every part of the spectrum is included, and indeed closes the loop! It speaks of the pressures teens are put under and put themselves under, and ultimately finding the strength to take your own stance.
The writing manages to strike a really good balance between character and plot. All of the characters are well fleshed out and pop off the page for their own reasons, and each serves the wider story well and takes a turn in the spotlight. I wouldn't say it's laugh out loud funny, but it is humorous, and while it's not gory or a full on bloodbath, it's not exactly a normal Sunday lunch they're preparing. But overall, unless you are a really sensitive reader this is a tale you can take with a pinch of seasoning and just tuck into and enjoy.
I think the only letdown for me is the ending. There are moments in the narrative that indicate the writer is speaking of events that have already occurred and do you do get an indication of the way things are heading, but it's not 100% clear until you get there. It does round off the story to a good clean conclusion, but I almost wanted more ambiguity, or a return to 'normal' after the story's crescendo.
Overall an enjoyable read. And I know just the person to pass this book onto!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism and Eating disorder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Gore, Kidnapping, Blood, Body horror, Murder, and Torture
Minor: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicide
theinkwyrm's review
challenging
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I’m not at all surprised that I enjoyed this middle-grade/ kind of YA take on cannibalism. It was funny and charming in its own ways and not scary at all, so I would actually recommend this to any younger reader interested in this topic. The only thing that bothered me was that this was supposed to be set in England but there were some obvious anachronisms, particularly in relation to food terminology. Still, a good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Blood
sarasofraz's review
4.0
This book is really special. And you won't regret reading it.
I loved it. My idea of what this book was about was so different from what it actually was and I am so glad that I happened to pick it up randomly in the library.
It's funny, scary and you feel a bit strange but happy after reading it? It's gruesome, but it's a book worth reading.
I loved it. My idea of what this book was about was so different from what it actually was and I am so glad that I happened to pick it up randomly in the library.
It's funny, scary and you feel a bit strange but happy after reading it? It's gruesome, but it's a book worth reading.
bellatrix's review
3.0
2.5, I would say.
Sounds more promising than it actually is.
Pretty much nothing happens through the whole book.
Sounds more promising than it actually is.
Pretty much nothing happens through the whole book.
samiism's review
4.0
This book was surprisingly good. It started slow, a bit uninteresting. I almost put this in my DNF pile, but I kept on reading and the story finally pulled itself together.
Like I said in an earlier update, The Savages has a A Series of Unfortunate Events feel to it, but darker. Not too many side characters, but the ones presented to us--the Savages, Vernon English, Sasha's two friends, Jack Greenway, Amanda Dias, and Ralph--are clearly hashed out.
I do admit that Ivan sometimes slips past me. I don't know how to say this clearly...but I often forget who he is. Yes, yes, he's the young Savage boy. But his voice disappears when other characters are around. I often mistake him for Titus or Jack, and I don't know why this is so.
This book is about a family that feasts on human meat. They don't call themselves cannibals, but instead refer to themselves as evolved eaters. Jack, Sasha's boyfriend, is a vegetarian who aspires to become vegan, mainly because he wants to bang the hot (but clearly cuckoo) vegan extremist who spoke at the university. Jack is an annoying shit, let me just tell you that. He's self-righteous and his heart is not in the right place. He is a loud and proud vegetarian because he feels superior to meat eaters.
Of all the characters in this book, Jack was the one who I most loathed. Even Ivan, that little dirtbag, didn't irk me as much.
I'm excited to see what happens next. Are the Savages okay? What happened to Amanda Dias? I need to know!!
Like I said in an earlier update, The Savages has a A Series of Unfortunate Events feel to it, but darker. Not too many side characters, but the ones presented to us--the Savages, Vernon English, Sasha's two friends, Jack Greenway, Amanda Dias, and Ralph--are clearly hashed out.
I do admit that Ivan sometimes slips past me. I don't know how to say this clearly...but I often forget who he is. Yes, yes, he's the young Savage boy. But his voice disappears when other characters are around. I often mistake him for Titus or Jack, and I don't know why this is so.
This book is about a family that feasts on human meat. They don't call themselves cannibals, but instead refer to themselves as evolved eaters. Jack, Sasha's boyfriend, is a vegetarian who aspires to become vegan, mainly because he wants to bang the hot (but clearly cuckoo) vegan extremist who spoke at the university. Jack is an annoying shit, let me just tell you that. He's self-righteous and his heart is not in the right place. He is a loud and proud vegetarian because he feels superior to meat eaters.
Of all the characters in this book, Jack was the one who I most loathed. Even Ivan, that little dirtbag, didn't irk me as much.
Spoiler
As for Vernon English, the relentless private investigator, I thought the resolution of his involvement was sloppy by Savage standards. They seriously just let him dangle out the broken window with a foil nappy on? Let him run free?I'm excited to see what happens next. Are the Savages okay? What happened to Amanda Dias? I need to know!!
roebo's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
readingundertheradar's review
3.0
My full review can me seen on my blog: http://www.happybookloversblog.com/2014/10/the-cleavers-savages-review.html
I'm also giving away a hardcover of this book! http://www.happybookloversblog.com/2014/10/the-cleavers-savages-review.html
I was surprised how much I liked this gory macabre tale. It seemed like a normal family, and I liked how the narration style made the family's actions so normal-seeming. Though obviously their eating habits are far from normal, it was a funny take on the subject rather than just approaching it like a crime novel.
The book was also very British-humor-esque, in that it was pretty dry and straightforward while being humorous about the whole situation.
I'm also giving away a hardcover of this book! http://www.happybookloversblog.com/2014/10/the-cleavers-savages-review.html
I was surprised how much I liked this gory macabre tale. It seemed like a normal family, and I liked how the narration style made the family's actions so normal-seeming. Though obviously their eating habits are far from normal, it was a funny take on the subject rather than just approaching it like a crime novel.
The book was also very British-humor-esque, in that it was pretty dry and straightforward while being humorous about the whole situation.
trying2read's review
4.0
4.5
WHAT IS THIS BOOK?? Crazy characters and i love them all. I wish there was more, i want to know what happened to the family. Overall this book was really funny and gross. A great quick read :)
WHAT IS THIS BOOK?? Crazy characters and i love them all. I wish there was more, i want to know what happened to the family. Overall this book was really funny and gross. A great quick read :)