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A review by booksillremember
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Older women MCs are outrageously hard to find, so I was happy to get a glimpse into Duszejko's mind. I enjoyed how her way of making sense of the world was so out there and yet so relatable at the same time. The 'found family' added some sweetness to the story, even though most of the characters weren't really fleshed out.
This is very much character and theme driven, so if you are a plot lover, this isn't for you. Nothing much happens for the most part. The pacing is poor, the story is repetitive and then gets wrapped up quickly and too neatly. At times it was a struggle to get through, but I still very much enjoyed it for the unique experience it offers.
It's a dense exploration of existential questions and I'm sure a lot of it went over my head because I haven't read William Blake who is referenced a lot. I'm also really not into astrology, but I can appreciate that Duszejko is a pattern seeker extraordinaire.
As a side note, I didn't appreciate the snide remark about 'testosterone autism' that was just there to stereotype an 'antisocial' character. I understand that the author's and the character's beliefs aren't necessarily synonymous, and Duszejko has lots of outlandish ideas about the world, but I wouldn't perpetuate a stereotype about a marginalised group if it's still considered true by most people. Especially since the MC is very heavily Autistic-coded herself - it's a missed opportunity to point out common, yet lesser known Autistic traits like an extreme sense of justice or empathy for animals.
This is very much character and theme driven, so if you are a plot lover, this isn't for you. Nothing much happens for the most part. The pacing is poor, the story is repetitive and then gets wrapped up quickly and too neatly. At times it was a struggle to get through, but I still very much enjoyed it for the unique experience it offers.
It's a dense exploration of existential questions and I'm sure a lot of it went over my head because I haven't read William Blake who is referenced a lot. I'm also really not into astrology, but I can appreciate that Duszejko is a pattern seeker extraordinaire.
As a side note, I didn't appreciate the snide remark about 'testosterone autism' that was just there to stereotype an 'antisocial' character. I understand that the author's and the character's beliefs aren't necessarily synonymous, and Duszejko has lots of outlandish ideas about the world, but I wouldn't perpetuate a stereotype about a marginalised group if it's still considered true by most people. Especially since the MC is very heavily Autistic-coded herself - it's a missed opportunity to point out common, yet lesser known Autistic traits like an extreme sense of justice or empathy for animals.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Ableism