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A review by nolalee
Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
One part taxidermist field guide, three parts dysfunctional family.
Mostly Dead Things is a story that opens in Florida with a third generation taxidermist, Jessa-Lynn Morton, dealing with her current lot in life. Her father's suicide, her mother's grief, and her own abandonment by the woman she loved. This book is a beautifully sweet, darkly funny, and empathetic (albeit cringe inducing) journey of finding oneself again after tragedy.
The writing is equally elegant and down right gross. Who knew you could have an existential moment as Arnett describes skinning an alligator! Overall, I adored this book and all of it's difficult self discovery journey. There are moments when I wanted to jump through the pages and smack some sense into Jessa and the whole Morton family. But that's life isn't it?
"We spent so much time looking for pieces of ourselves in other people that we never realized they were busy searching for the same things in us."
Mostly Dead Things is a story that opens in Florida with a third generation taxidermist, Jessa-Lynn Morton, dealing with her current lot in life. Her father's suicide, her mother's grief, and her own abandonment by the woman she loved. This book is a beautifully sweet, darkly funny, and empathetic (albeit cringe inducing) journey of finding oneself again after tragedy.
The writing is equally elegant and down right gross. Who knew you could have an existential moment as Arnett describes skinning an alligator! Overall, I adored this book and all of it's difficult self discovery journey. There are moments when I wanted to jump through the pages and smack some sense into Jessa and the whole Morton family. But that's life isn't it?
"We spent so much time looking for pieces of ourselves in other people that we never realized they were busy searching for the same things in us."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Gore