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What Members Thought

Good. Solid. Decent. I couldn't help but feel like it didn't really change anything to have the events be out of order. The only one I haven't read on the shortlist for the Bailey's Prize is The Undertaking, but I wasn't really truly impressed with any of these novels. I thought they were decent and enjoyable enough, but not anything worthy of a prize. I'm glad I read them though.
Oh and this was nowhere near anywhere as good as The Flamethrowers! The list really means nothing to me now that I r ...more
Oh and this was nowhere near anywhere as good as The Flamethrowers! The list really means nothing to me now that I r ...more

Definitely not one to read via audiobook. By the time I figured out what was going on, it was too late. I'm still giving this three stars, though, for the pure inventiveness of the storyline. I may pick this up again in hard copy some day.
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Here are the first three sentences of the novel:
"Another sheep, mangled and bled out, her innards not yet crusting and the vapours rising from her like a steamed pudding. Crows, their beaks shining, strutting and rasping, and when I waved my stick they flew to the trees and watched, flaring out their wings, singing, if you could call it that. I shoved my book in Dog’s face to stop him from taking a string of her away with him as a souvenir…"
I tossed the novel at that point. Not for me.
...more
"Another sheep, mangled and bled out, her innards not yet crusting and the vapours rising from her like a steamed pudding. Crows, their beaks shining, strutting and rasping, and when I waved my stick they flew to the trees and watched, flaring out their wings, singing, if you could call it that. I shoved my book in Dog’s face to stop him from taking a string of her away with him as a souvenir…"
I tossed the novel at that point. Not for me.
...more

The story begins at the end and meanders back through events in the main character's life. Dark and raw, I loved her writing, but this is one of those books that has no closure, no real ending. A lot of unanswered questions. Still, a page-turner!
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Apr 11, 2014
Laura
marked it as to-read

Jul 08, 2014
Rachel
rated it
really liked it
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review of another edition
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Jul 09, 2014
Christy
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Dec 04, 2014
Jillian
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Jan 04, 2015
Jocelyn
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Jan 06, 2015
Tammy AZ
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Jan 17, 2015
Jessica
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Mar 11, 2015
Nikki Morse
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Oct 28, 2015
Tiffany
marked it as to-read

Mar 26, 2017
Terri
marked it as around-the-world

Sep 20, 2020
Annika
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Jan 15, 2021
Erica
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May 06, 2022
Dianne
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Sep 06, 2022
EmJay
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Mar 09, 2025
Curlysue
marked it as to-read