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Book Review: Filthy Animals

I’m kinda “meh” on the cover in all honesty.

Book Title: Filthy Animals

Book Author: Brandon Taylor

Series: Anthology

Genre: Adult Fiction, Short Stories

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Page Count: 300

Notes: I was made aware that his book, Real Life was a favorite of many friends and it was semi popular when it was published but I haven’t read that one, and not likely going to after this one.

Goodreads Summary:

A group portrait of young adults enmeshed in desire and violence, a hotly charged, deeply satisfying new work of fiction from the author of Booker Prize finalist Real Life

In the series of linked stories at the heart of Filthy Animals, set among young creatives in the American Midwest, a young man treads delicate emotional waters as he navigates a series of sexually fraught encounters with two dancers in an open relationship, forcing him to weigh his vulnerabilities against his loneliness. In other stories, a young woman battles with the cancers draining her body and her family; menacing undercurrents among a group of teenagers explode in violence on a winter night; a little girl tears through a house like a tornado, driving her babysitter to the brink; and couples feel out the jagged edges of connection, comfort, and cruelty.

One of the breakout literary stars of 2020, Brandon Taylor has been hailed by Roxane Gay as “a writer who wields his craft in absolutely unforgettable ways.” With Filthy Animals he renews and expands on the promise made in Real Life, training his precise and unsentimental gaze on the tensions among friends and family, lovers and others. Psychologically taut and quietly devastating, Filthy Animals is a tender portrait of the fierce longing for intimacy, the lingering presence of pain, and the desire for love in a world that seems, more often than not, to withhold it.

My Thoughts:

Did not realize that this was centered around love triangles, ugh.

My Review:

I hate being the odd one out but I hate love triangles unless done well and this was not done well at all. For one thing, it dragggggged and I wasn’t overly impressed with the characters as a whole. The LGBT elements were good but I didn’t feel even remotely connected to the characters.

I saw another reviewer say this is as good as Sally Rooney and if that’s the case, I’m firmly avoiding her works. No offense to those that have enjoyed her writing but this just wasn’t for me whatsoever.

(This review also posted on my Goodreads!)

My Rating:

2.5 ⭐

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

Book Review: Kanada

Title: Kanada

Author: Eva Wiseman

Series: standalone

Genre: YA, Middle Grade, Historical

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Page Count: 300

Goodreads Summary:

Kanada. The name meant untold riches and promise to Jutka, a young Hungarian girl who was captivated by stories of a vast, majestic country where people were able to breathe free of hatred and prejudice. Freedom was in short supply, but hatred was everywhere in Hungary as hundreds of thousands of Jews were deported to concentration camps during the last year of WWII. Jutka, her friends, and her family are sent to Auschwitz.

In that hellish place, there was another Kanada. It was the ironic name given to the storehouse at Auschwitz where the possessions, clothing and jewelry stripped from the victims were deposited, and where Jutka was put to work.

The war may have ended, but it did not end the suffering of many of the inmates of concentration camps. Many had no homes to go to, and if they did, they were not welcome. Hundreds went back to Poland and were murdered. Famished, diseased, and homeless, they lived in the hopelessness of camps, wondering if they could ever find a home in the world. Some went to Israel, but for Jutka there was only one dream left her: the dream of a country full of hope, where she would no longer have to live in fear.

Eva Wiseman’s powerful novel describes the war and its long, difficult aftermath with compassion and tenderness.

My Thoughts:

Definitely have a box of tissues prepared for this book. I had gone into this completely blind, and ended up sobbing my eyes out.

My Review:

This was very good, although super sad as it’s another Auschwitz story. I hadn’t realized that in going in so allow me to inform you that you definitely should have a box of tissues prepared. Jutka is a believable character and the story is powerful, emotional, and full of historical references. From Hungary to Canada, this was a really good read. I can definitely see why it was the winner of the Geoffrey Bilson award back in 2007. Jutka, a young Hungarian girl, is just trying to survive and not get killed all because she was born a Jew. The story is told before, during and after World War 2. It’s beautifully written, and vivid with descriptions of the time and place of what it was like living as a Jew during that era. It was quite sad, and yet Jutka pressed on and survived. Very recommended for those who like historical fiction!

My Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book