Mostly Dead Things by Kristin Arnett

Published: 2019, Tin House Books

Genre: Fiction

Themes: American South, taxidermy, bereavement, grief

My rating (out of 5): ❤❤

I didn't enjoy reading this.

I found it hard to settle down and concentrate on the story as the writing style is way too 'honest' and 'real' for me and I found my tolerance for such things stretched to breaking point. Imagine the expression on a baby's face when someone gives them a slice of lemon to suck on - well that expression, right there, would have been seen on my face at certain points while reading this book.

The story is about a family who owns a taxidermy business and the father takes his own life after struggling to cope with his diagnosis and treatment for cancer. Everyone in the family deals with their loss differently, but the only thing that helps mum work through her grief is creating pornographic diorama of the stuffed merchandise and leaving them in the shop window for her daughter to find.

Well, I could cope with all of that because I am a big girl now.

My problem lies with the constant references to bodily functions. Sweat, vomit, pee, pustules and menstruation to name but a few. I don't need that kind of thing in a novel. I do not want a description of body odour or nefarious stains on unwashed clothes.

By the time I got to the end I almost expected to see a notice on the last page with the instruction 'Now wash your hands'.

This one was not for me.

Comments

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