From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader…

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

Karen Joy Fowler

Start date: May 15, 2015

Finish date: June 1, 2015

Discussion: Reading List

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Reading List

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What Members Thought

Sep 22, 2014 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: animals, american-fiction, e-books, contemporary-fiction, read-2014, passport-books, booker-short-list-2014

This is the story of a brother and two sisters: Lowell, Fern and Rosemary - the narrator herself.

First at all, the writer since the beginning of the book employs a different way of writing:

“I’ve told you the middle of my story now. I’ve told you the end of the beginning and I’ve told you the beginning of the end.”

This could give an impression of a confuse narrative but the produced effect is extremely opposed of this first thought.

By the middle of the book, Rosemary starts to feel the regretful ...more

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Sep 17, 2014 Paige rated it it was amazing

4.5

This book was both fun and deep. The writing style was very accessible and engaging, also very funny at times—offhand wit—but still serious. It asks us about family, what it means to be human, the nature of memory, the blame and burdens we carry through life… and it also takes a moral stand (view spoiler) which I appreciated.

I recommend this book; it’s an “easy” read but it delivers great themes and lots of food for thought. I wish all the books I picked up w ...more

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Aug 28, 2013 Dree rated it it was ok

Shelves: california, the-midwest, booker-long-short, 2015-reads

Too much foreshadowing. Just...too...much.

I found this to be one of those books that is so overhyped, it ends up being disappointing. The entire book feels like a trick. Start in the middle...foreshadowing...straight-up hints...and finally, the big reveal! Which is not so big, what with all the hints and foreshadowing. And, of course, the cover image.

The amount of abuse--physical and psychological--in this book is upsetting. And there is another trick of hiding it until the middle, with only som Too much foreshadowing. Just...too...much.

I found this to be one of those books that is so overhyped, it ends up being disappointing. The entire book feels like a trick. Start in the middle...foreshadowing...straight-up hints...and finally, the big reveal! Which is not so big, what with all the hints and foreshadowing. And, of course, the cover image.

The amount of abuse--physical and psychological--in this book is upsetting. And there is another trick of hiding it until the middle, with only some hints. But there is people on animal abuse, animal on animal, animal on people (though, if the animal doesn't understand, does it count? or do they understand?), institution on animal, institution on people.

Fowler does have some great lines: "Every girl's dream, if she can't have a vampire" (237), "I'm unclear on the definition of person the courts have been using. Something that sieves out dolphins but lets corporations slide on through." (305).

I wonder, though, at her saying her mom can't be passed of as an innocent party (298). She was not the researcher. She was part of the study herself--and though she seems not innocent, and she was a key element of her husband's academic study. But she was not a psychologist nor an employee. She was just the mom (and it's always mom's fault in psychology)--and she was the mom who went into a deep depression at her own perceived failure. Failure at the impossible.

But then, what kind of people would keep one daughter home from kindergarten because the other can't go? And then send her in the middle of the year, totally unsocialized to kids her own age--all in the name of science?

I do think this would be an excellent high school read--perhaps even in a science class. The issues of research, abuse, and treatment of animals are all important to discuss. It kind of reads like a YA novel as well--especially as the narration feels like speaking written down, and not writing, if that makes sense. I think those of us that are older are already well aware of these issues, and know what we think. ...more

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Sep 04, 2013 Miriam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2013, best-of-2013

Sobbed at the end. I never do that anymore. This one got into my system and is going to stick for awhile. I should probably review it but I need time to think about it first.

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Aug 25, 2013 Beth rated it it was amazing

I can't remember the last time I read a book in less than 24 hours. But this one kept me hooked from beginning to end. ...more

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Aug 01, 2013 Cynthia rated it it was amazing

I really enjoyed this quirky saga of a dysfunctional family. The slow reveal of the exact nature of how this family is different is one of the joys of this book. Fowler has a wonderful way with language and pulls out beautiful words like a string of pearls. The characters are interesting in their complexity and the way they engage the deep moral issues brought up in the book. I especially recommend this book to philosophers and animal lovers.

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Nov 22, 2016 Kathy rated it it was amazing

This story has so many layers. I decided to give it five stars because it can be read in so many different ways. My favorite line:

"I'm unclear of the definition of person the courts have been using. Something that sieves out dolphins but lets corporations slide on through."

I've blogged about it at kathy704.wordpress.com ...more

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