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A review by jeskian
Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
3.5
So many thoughts about this, having finished it not ten minutes ago. Begin stream of thought:
I really enjoyed the fact that this is two narratives. Listening to audiobook, it was sometimes tricky to tell which adult character was which. I also struggled to remember that the main characters Ruth and Nat were 17 - for some reason I just kept seeing them as preteens. Whether that was prose, dialogue, or performance, I can't tell. Regarding plot, if you love parallelism and echoes in narratives, this'll be for you.
That being said, I can't say I loved this due to the fact that a big portion of the middle section just really bummed me out!Children having to choose which adult they marry to avoid abuse? Forced abortions? People being totally abandoned in wilderness? Random sexual encounters with zero chemistry or flirting? I don't love it!
Once the mysticism amped up toward the end, I got more wrapped up in it and more excited by it. That's what I wanted, the magical realism. I liked the setting of the decrepit cult camp. Calling a gun the weapon of cowards was a big thumbs up point. Also, realizing the nature of the story once it got to the end, and how it tied to the story Cora told at the beginning made me smile and appreciate the *construction* of this novel, if not so much its look.
So... good book. Well made. I'm sure it was really hard to do, and it's impressive! I'm impressed by it more than I enjoyed it. Parts I found distasteful, parts I deeply enjoyed, parts I enjoyed but am sure would hit so much harder if I had the ability to be pregnant. Soft recommend!
I really enjoyed the fact that this is two narratives. Listening to audiobook, it was sometimes tricky to tell which adult character was which. I also struggled to remember that the main characters Ruth and Nat were 17 - for some reason I just kept seeing them as preteens. Whether that was prose, dialogue, or performance, I can't tell. Regarding plot, if you love parallelism and echoes in narratives, this'll be for you.
That being said, I can't say I loved this due to the fact that a big portion of the middle section just really bummed me out!
Once the mysticism amped up toward the end, I got more wrapped up in it and more excited by it. That's what I wanted, the magical realism. I liked the setting of the decrepit cult camp. Calling a gun the weapon of cowards was a big thumbs up point. Also, realizing the nature of the story once it got to the end, and how it tied to the story Cora told at the beginning made me smile and appreciate the *construction* of this novel, if not so much its look.
So... good book. Well made. I'm sure it was really hard to do, and it's impressive! I'm impressed by it more than I enjoyed it. Parts I found distasteful, parts I deeply enjoyed, parts I enjoyed but am sure would hit so much harder if I had the ability to be pregnant. Soft recommend!