this was pretty good historical nonfiction. but i'd been hoping for horror. clearly, just a misalignment of expectations. it reminds me of how in dracthis was pretty good historical nonfiction. but i'd been hoping for horror. clearly, just a misalignment of expectations. it reminds me of how in dracula, they spend more time chasing dracula and only get glimpses of the man himself. ...more
Something about this book didn't work for me. I was pulled in by the premise and the horrific fall into hallucination vs reality, but the narrative voSomething about this book didn't work for me. I was pulled in by the premise and the horrific fall into hallucination vs reality, but the narrative voice irritated me. I think it's a personal preference thing more than an actual fault in the book. But I also somewhat want a copy because I highlighted a lot.
I loved this:
"Do you remember reading Lovecraft or Machen for the first time and believing, just for a moment, that what you were reading was not fiction? That some documents of another reality had fallen into your hands? That these stories not only changed their genre, they changed everything? And now the same stories appear in corrected editions, with long introductions and scholarly footnotes by S.T. Joshi, the suspension of disbelief is impossible. Ask yourself how it would be if Rien’s films were part of a canon, on a par with Tarkovsky or Franju. A season at the National Film Theatre. Late-night screenings on Channel 4, with Mark Cousins trying to shape the meaning of each film with his hands. It would be nice. But something essential would have been lost."...more
'Fragile Animals' had me absolutely spellbound, but I was so convinced I had to read it in one sitting for it to feel right that I started and then st'Fragile Animals' had me absolutely spellbound, but I was so convinced I had to read it in one sitting for it to feel right that I started and then stopped so many times until I could make that dedication. Genevieve Jagger's writing is stunning, incredible — I have so much highlighted. I loved the eeriness and isolation on Bute, and the way we were drawn into such an escape from the world.
About half of 'Fragile Animals' is Noelle on Bute, connecting with Moses and Miss Fraser, and working through identity and religious trauma. The other half is Noelle's life before Bute, growing up highly Catholic, in a home with a cold, distant mother, connecting with her semi-stepmom's brother, mourning the separation of a friend whose emotional pull is almost tangible, and steeped in so much religion and questioning of it.
The latter wasn't as strong as the former. It felt too jarring and normal against the backdrop of something much more interesting. There must have been a way to work it in better.
The religious questioning and trauma; betrayal by the church and by family; the inner hatred that comes with Catholic beliefs are absolutely central to the entirety of this story, and if that's something you want to explore I highly recommend.
I really hated the ~big realization at the end. It was hinted at, but not nearly developed enough to have such a huge come-to-Jesus moment of that level. It felt like it came out of nowhere and turned the book around in a way that didn't work.
I'm still working through how I feel about Moses and their connection, but it's something I'm going to think about for a long time....more
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