A review by not_another_ana
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

challenging dark reflective medium-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

3.5

We live in a stage of siege. If one takes a close look at each fragment of a moment, one might choke with terror.

One morning Janina, an unconventional woman more concerned with astrology and animals, is awakened by the untimely passing of her neighbor, a rude poacher she didn't much care for. While this event initially seems like a dumb accident, more and more people in town start dying in odd ways. There seems to be only one connection between them, it appears that wild animals have committed the murders. Or at least that's what Janina firmly believes even if no one else thinks the same. As the police keeps investigating Janina cannot help but be drawn to the gruesome crimes and to form her own opinions about the truth, the victims, life, and the world that surrounds her.

Pleasantly surprised by this. It's not really a crime novel or a thriller as it seems to be categorized, it's more of an exploration about different topics. It's dark but still funny and quirky at times. It deals with grief, it examines society and the corrupt systems that it's built on, it even tackles a bit of the hypocrisy of religion. There were tons of lines in this book that resonated with me and touched me deeply, I think Janina was such an interesting character with a rich and complex interior life. Her reflections on life keep this book from being too bleak or nonsensical.

I do think that it ran a bit too long, mostly because there isn't really a mystery. The crime aspect of it was the weakest part of the whole book, you could easily tell what was going on halfway through. I'm unfamiliar with William Blake's poetry and perhaps being familiar with his work would have made some of the references hit better. Still a good and different read.
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