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saltedsnail's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
There’s something gorgeous and terrible about O Caledonia. It’s a quick little read… which is a rarity for a gothic novel. This is beautifully countered by the fact that, whilst reading it, I felt at every single moment that I was only in the exposition, albeit a long winded and poetic one. It manages to maintain this sensation right up to its brutal end - like set dressing for a great story about to start. This is not a failure on the part of Barker; it is intentional, it is her mastery, it is the point.
It all reads as a masterful character study - flashing vignettes of formative experiences that define and surround our would-be-heroine, only serving to make her demise all the more somber despite the fact that we know from page one that it is coming. O Caledonia is not a murder mystery. It is not even really a book about Janet’s death in any meaningful way. It is a book about girlhood and yearning and fantasy and reality. It is an absolutely indignant coming-of-age tale set against a tableau of breathtaking natural beauty and casual, systemic human cruelty.
Barker earns our discomfort, our mourning, not by making Janet “good” or easily lovable in the pages detailing her life leading up to her murder at 16. She is not something so easy as “good”… she is doomed. From the start, she is doomed. Over and over again she is doomed. Barker manages to, miraculously, make this feel poignant rather than tiresome.
The mundanity of the tragic elements of this story cut like a knife - they are viscerally grounded and resonant to anyone who’s felt a misfit, especially those who’ve experienced the inherent trauma of prescriptive girlhood and found it as baffling and distasteful as Janet. I suspect that those who will love O Caledonia do so with the prerequisite of relating to Janet in some way or another. I’ll be chewing on this one for a long while, glad to have finally given it a read.
It all reads as a masterful character study - flashing vignettes of formative experiences that define and surround our would-be-heroine, only serving to make her demise all the more somber despite the fact that we know from page one that it is coming. O Caledonia is not a murder mystery. It is not even really a book about Janet’s death in any meaningful way. It is a book about girlhood and yearning and fantasy and reality. It is an absolutely indignant coming-of-age tale set against a tableau of breathtaking natural beauty and casual, systemic human cruelty.
Barker earns our discomfort, our mourning, not by making Janet “good” or easily lovable in the pages detailing her life leading up to her murder at 16. She is not something so easy as “good”… she is doomed. From the start, she is doomed. Over and over again she is doomed. Barker manages to, miraculously, make this feel poignant rather than tiresome.
The mundanity of the tragic elements of this story cut like a knife - they are viscerally grounded and resonant to anyone who’s felt a misfit, especially those who’ve experienced the inherent trauma of prescriptive girlhood and found it as baffling and distasteful as Janet. I suspect that those who will love O Caledonia do so with the prerequisite of relating to Janet in some way or another. I’ll be chewing on this one for a long while, glad to have finally given it a read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
thatchickengirl23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Alcohol
thearchivist03's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This coming of age tale is really dark, but it's reflective. I wish the author hadn't spoiled that the main character is dead in the first few pages as I think it took away from the surprise at the end when you learn of the truth behind the murder mystery.
That being said, the prose was so beautiful. This was excellently written out, scenery and Janet' character and her inner monologues were spelled out perfectly in feeling and in words. I wish the plot had more to it, but it does follow a person's life, which doesn't give room to be creative. It was very linear storytelling, very static, and I think that's what threw me off personally. The ending and moral of this story is dark, but it does make me think and wonder of the existence and societal responsibilities placed on children, especially the eldest. Very tragic tale, not too enjoyable and lighthearted, but thought provoking.
That being said, the prose was so beautiful. This was excellently written out, scenery and Janet' character and her inner monologues were spelled out perfectly in feeling and in words. I wish the plot had more to it, but it does follow a person's life, which doesn't give room to be creative. It was very linear storytelling, very static, and I think that's what threw me off personally. The ending and moral of this story is dark, but it does make me think and wonder of the existence and societal responsibilities placed on children, especially the eldest. Very tragic tale, not too enjoyable and lighthearted, but thought provoking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Toxic relationship and War
feelinwitchy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
relaxing
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Genocide, Vomit, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and War
toffishay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really felt for Janet, felt connected to her. The book starts at the end and then moves backwards. You know how the story ends up for Janet. In a way, she knows this too. But watching her grow up and grow against a world that doesn't even try to understand her, that pushes her down and hurts her, is no less tactile because we know that she won't escape. Or she does, in her own way, but through the actions of others. The writing style is absolutely stunning. The descriptions of her home are so beautiful, even as the settings are tense and breaking down, and horrific. It felt like an honor to read about Janet's life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Murder
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
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