Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by the author, publisher, or other related entity.
Breakdown Review:
I requested The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot for two reasons: (1) I like the cover, and (2) I thought the concept sounded interesting. The premise is a little dark, with a preteen girl becoming increasingly interested in dead animals. That sounds a little weird and maybe slightly creepy, right? I had to know what was going to happen. Further, this entire story is written in a prose style via a series of poems. So interesting.
All of the poems are written in first person from the point of view of Charlotte (Lottie), the preteen narrator. It's a rather imaginative way to write a book and I have to say that it actually works pretty well. I enjoyed the style and the writing. It felt comfortable and appropriate for the character. Her voice comes through very clearly and the narrative feels pretty age appropriate for Lottie. There isn't anything overreaching or artificial. Though there is a limited view of characters beyond Lottie, the story still moves fairly well. It is a little flat because of this approach, but in a way that just adds to the curiosity of the tale.
Indeed, there was a keen sense of mystery surrounding some of the bits and pieces of the story, which came to light through the pages a little bit at a time. There was a lot of questioning going on in my head as I read, wondering where things were going to go and sometimes wondering what in the heck was going on. All in all, it is rather cleverly done and I enjoyed the movement of the story.
My only issue with The Art of Taxidermy (as tends to be my downfall on many an occasion) was the ending. I am so particular and picky with my conclusions. In this case, I left the story feeling sadly unfulfilled. This isn't to say that the ending is a bad one. It wraps up in a way that makes sense given the previous pieces of narrative. I just couldn't get myself settled with it. Perhaps that is some of the intention, but I didn't like the uncomfortable way leaving it made me feel. It's worth the read, but won't be one that finds a permanent home on my shelf.
I requested The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot for two reasons: (1) I like the cover, and (2) I thought the concept sounded interesting. The premise is a little dark, with a preteen girl becoming increasingly interested in dead animals. That sounds a little weird and maybe slightly creepy, right? I had to know what was going to happen. Further, this entire story is written in a prose style via a series of poems. So interesting.
All of the poems are written in first person from the point of view of Charlotte (Lottie), the preteen narrator. It's a rather imaginative way to write a book and I have to say that it actually works pretty well. I enjoyed the style and the writing. It felt comfortable and appropriate for the character. Her voice comes through very clearly and the narrative feels pretty age appropriate for Lottie. There isn't anything overreaching or artificial. Though there is a limited view of characters beyond Lottie, the story still moves fairly well. It is a little flat because of this approach, but in a way that just adds to the curiosity of the tale.
Indeed, there was a keen sense of mystery surrounding some of the bits and pieces of the story, which came to light through the pages a little bit at a time. There was a lot of questioning going on in my head as I read, wondering where things were going to go and sometimes wondering what in the heck was going on. All in all, it is rather cleverly done and I enjoyed the movement of the story.
My only issue with The Art of Taxidermy (as tends to be my downfall on many an occasion) was the ending. I am so particular and picky with my conclusions. In this case, I left the story feeling sadly unfulfilled. This isn't to say that the ending is a bad one. It wraps up in a way that makes sense given the previous pieces of narrative. I just couldn't get myself settled with it. Perhaps that is some of the intention, but I didn't like the uncomfortable way leaving it made me feel. It's worth the read, but won't be one that finds a permanent home on my shelf.
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