Questions About Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance

by Ruth Emmie Lang (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

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Answered Questions (8)

I just finished this book, but is this really "magical realism" or has the term just evolved or been used loosely over time. Because it's not "realism" either. We wouldn't describe a fairytale as magical realism. I'm not a snob! I just get a bit confused because I hear different things. Anyway, I would consider this contemporary/literary fantasy at best. What do you think?

Olga Miret For me, the idea of magic realism is when something "magical" or out of the ordinary and beyond our understanding happens but it is set up in a world …moreFor me, the idea of magic realism is when something "magical" or out of the ordinary and beyond our understanding happens but it is set up in a world that is pretty much like ours (not a world where magic is the standard, where fairies, ogres, etc, are the norm). If people are surprised by what he does is because that is not what normally happens and nobody else can do it. I always think about the Central and South American novels (like A Hundred Years of Solitude) where although very strange things happened, the society the characters lived in was a good reflection of the society of the time, although the magic realism of those authors was more symbolic and critical than many of the books classed under that term nowadays, I think. (less)

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Is this a book that would be good for teen to read? Thank you!

Arielle Definitely appropriate for teens.

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Wondering how much animal butchery/violence is described? I reached page 26 and had to stop until I know how much detail the story includes. I have a small farm animal sanctuary and am vegan, so the intimation of butchery horrifies me. I otherwise have much interest in the story and was really looking forward to reading it. Thanks to anyone who can answer this question for me.

Nedam I am just past 15% of the book. There is not much more about the butcher, but there's quite a lot of animal death and eating animals unrelated to him.…moreI am just past 15% of the book. There is not much more about the butcher, but there's quite a lot of animal death and eating animals unrelated to him.

<spoiler>Children are starving so they kill, butcher and eat the animals while surviving in the forest, Weylyn tries to slaughter a cow and farmer shoots and kills the wolf Ma, and Jane reminisces about how she accidentally hanged her pet rabbit and never wanted a pet after that.</spoiler>(less)

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Is something atypical w Micah? His interiority turns very sophisticated phrases for a 14 year old (even a book worm) but it does not align with his external voice I wondered if it was slippage of the authorial voice into his or something else. I had a hard time telling he was 14, even after they indirectly said so. His behavior is beyond quirky or introverted, into the delusional, for lack of another word.

Brittany This might just be me, but when I read his part I read it from Micah telling his part of the story as an adult. So his external voice matched the 14yo…moreThis might just be me, but when I read his part I read it from Micah telling his part of the story as an adult. So his external voice matched the 14yo he was at the time, but the internal voice was his from his adult point of view. (less)

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What your feelings after reading this book ? I don't know whether it is good for teens or not. Please tell me, thank you!