A review by tommooney
Barkskins by Annie Proulx
1.0
Oh Annie, where did it all go wrong?
Proulx is a wonderful writer but Barkskins is total dross. There is no way this would ever have been published without her reputation attached to it. It is at least 300 pages too long and, surprisingly for Proulx, almost completely humourless.
Much like the recent novel by Margaret Atwood, I feel a little like she is taking the piss out of her readers, exploiting her fans' blind faith in her abilities.
Trying to tell the stories of whole generations of families every 50 pages is clearly impossible. And it is so dull,so devoid of the comic elements that make much of her previous work so compelling.
God I am so disappointed.
Proulx is a wonderful writer but Barkskins is total dross. There is no way this would ever have been published without her reputation attached to it. It is at least 300 pages too long and, surprisingly for Proulx, almost completely humourless.
Much like the recent novel by Margaret Atwood, I feel a little like she is taking the piss out of her readers, exploiting her fans' blind faith in her abilities.
Trying to tell the stories of whole generations of families every 50 pages is clearly impossible. And it is so dull,so devoid of the comic elements that make much of her previous work so compelling.
God I am so disappointed.