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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
welaneyding's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, and Murder
antimony's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
the first like. 80? 90?% of this book was sooooo slow and i had a lot of trouble caring about it. possibly this was in part because i have covid. but alas! but the last two chapters were REALLY good & the slowness kinda paid off. i liked janina as a narrator a lot as well, and the conversations about who we pay attention to and who we don't, about justice with regard to animals, etc. this definitely wasn't the right book for Sick Me but i think it easily could be the right book for someone else
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
adriennemrn's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
inspiring old lady ! bitches can do everything !
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Murder
suzyq's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Medical content, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Vomit
contemporarymeepsie's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is set in a remote forested village near the Polish border with the Czech Republic. Mrs Duszejko lives on her own with only her few neighbours for company. It is a tight-knit community but that doesn't mean everyone gets along, and when one such neighbour accidentally chokes and dies on an animal bone, it sparks a flurry of murders in the area.
I think I missed the hook of this book. I understood the points it was making about animal cruelty and our definitions of insanity and the hypocrisy of religious hunting and so forth. I just wasn't interested in anything that was happening. I'm not a big fan of books that waffle and this was very waffley which is unfortunate as it was recommended to me by a close friend who defined it as his favourite book of the year. I found it dull and the ending was predictable. I wouldn't recommend this book but not because it was "bad" or poorly written; it was exceptionally written, but because it was dull and not my kind of book. Sorry Mike!
I think I missed the hook of this book. I understood the points it was making about animal cruelty and our definitions of insanity and the hypocrisy of religious hunting and so forth. I just wasn't interested in anything that was happening. I'm not a big fan of books that waffle and this was very waffley which is unfortunate as it was recommended to me by a close friend who defined it as his favourite book of the year. I found it dull and the ending was predictable. I wouldn't recommend this book but not because it was "bad" or poorly written; it was exceptionally written, but because it was dull and not my kind of book. Sorry Mike!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, and Murder
laurenmvmills's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Grief, and Murder
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
augie_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Murder