A review by bargainbookquest
The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot

5.0

***ARC provided by Netgalley and Text Publishing Company in exchange for an honest review***

4.50*

Okay, I'll start by saying that I was completely drawn to the cover; how beautiful is it. And though the subject of taxidermy isn't something that actually interest me, I was still completely curious about it and wanted to read a story based on it. I'm glad I was able to read this as it's my first verse novel, which is totally new to me. It is beautiful written, poetic almost.

Meet Lottie, a young girl who has suffered loss at a young age and through her grief, she begins a fascination with death. The story is told in verse that flows like a usual chaptered story. lottie goes through her every day life with grief and how she deals with it through her fascination with life after death by way of taxidermy and life after death. She sees beauty in it all, her father understands it on a scientific level while her aunt think it's something else, depression or something else.

The story isn't solely on grief as we get backstories of the family and the internment of families in Australia during WWII.

I can't give this story a perfect score as i felt there were repetitions from time to time, the story just circled for a while but it still flowed nicely anyway. I admit being a little bit confused at first, not knowing if i wanted to keep reading but I did and I'm glad i read it all. It was a fascinating read. It was sad but there was hope towards the end.