It may be Tuesday but today, I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about Dead Animals by Phoebe Stuckes. Thank you to Sceptre for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
There is something creeping at the edge of your vision, lingering somewhere just out of focus. All it would take is to let your mind wander, to let it come into view.
A young woman wakes after a house party with scratches and bruises – and a gap in her memory.
As the violent truth comes back to her – a series of events she struggles to name – her anger grows.
Solace comes in the form of enigmatic, captivating Helene, who knows what the man at the party did, has suffered at his hands too. An act of violence demands one in return and Helene is planning revenge.
But who can afford to ask for justice, when the cost is murderously high?
Publication Date: 11th April
TW: rape, sexual assault, murder, death, controlling relationships, emotional abuse, gaslighting, sexism, sexual harassment, body horror
My Thoughts:
Dead Animals left me with a lump in my throat and a pit in my stomach. This book seethed with rage.
This was the type of book that just unsettles you because it is so visceral and real. Its depiction of trauma and sexual assault is considered, layered and resonates with you long after the final page. Stuckes had such an interesting, poignant way of depicting trauma and horror through a skewed lens that I adored. There was just this abstract layer to the book that showed the dehumanisation and lack of connection to the body that the unnamed protagonist experiences. She could be anyone. That sort of Everyman figure is particularly haunting with the statistical reality of rape culture. At the same time, she has such a distinctive and guarded narrative style.
It is a sickening read, full of the monstrosity of humanity, particuarly within rape culture. There is so much violence veiled beneath veneers and socially acceptable behaviour. It deals with various forms of abuse and assault, so please check trigger warnings. Overall, this is a story of obsession and the fine line between justice and retribution. In particular, Stuckes asks how do we decide where that line should be drawn?
The central relationship in this book is a toxic, twisted one that is tangled up in that all consuming fury and also weaves in a discussion about privilege and power. It speaks to insidious forms and repercussions of abuse. Every page bristles with menace. For me, reading this was like looking out and seeing the storm coming in, but also being swept up in the darkness. It is brilliantly told, captivatingly written and has that chilling grit of reality to it.
Dead Animals was a tough and menacing read that carved out a brilliant story.
Next up, I’d like to talk about The Boy Next Door by Jenny Ireland. Thank you to Penguin Random House Children’s UK for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Finbar and Molly live next door to each other. When they were children, they spent hours and hours together. They were best friends. Until they weren’t.
Now 18, Fin and Molly move in very different circles. Molly is popular, pretty, dating the most handsome boy in the whole school. Fin has one friend and he’s pretty sure he hates his dad and his little sister.
At a party one night, though, they’re pulled together in a way neither of them expects and then follows a year that will see them experiencing life-changing challenges, friendships, love and everything in between.
Publication Date: 11th April
TW: death, grief, loss, medical trauma, brain injury, surgery
My Thoughts:
The Boy Next Door is a heart-melting YA romantic contemporary tale that tackles disability, grief and learning to start to live with your trauma, particularly in the context of changing relationships with friends, family and most importantly – yourself.
I am an incredibly character driven reader and I fell in love with Fin and Molly instantly. The trope of childhood friends to something more always hits for me. Their relationship dynamic grows so naturally, with wonderful chemistry and dialogue throughout. However what crystallised this for me was the way their relationship was formed around recovery and mutual support. It delved into some codependency at times, but this was challenged and reshaped into healthier mechanisms as the book developed.
The depiction of grief in Fin’s storyline was something that hit home for me in its rawness and the way grief reverberates through your life. Molly’s grief was tied in with her self-identity as she has this disabling event that will change her life forever. Her story of going through an acceptance of this as a facet of herself and breaking a toxic cycle with her family was poignant, heartfelt and brilliant to see.
Also, Ireland includes an author’s note at the back at the book that truly hit a chord with me. It epitomises the book’s message of love and hope against the odds, but also remains honest about life altering circumstances and how these can impact every aspect of yourself. This book will mean so much to so many people. Please pick it up.
The Boy Next Door is full of hope and love within some of the most difficult situations people can experience. It is truthful, it is considered and it is beautiful. Between this and The First Move, Ireland is carving out a quietly impactful niche of these coming of age contemporary romances with wonderful disability representation and a searing exploration of grief and loss.
Finally, I’d like to delve into The Four by Ellie Keel. Thank you to HQ for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
We were always The Four. From our very first day at High Realms.
The four scholarship pupils. Outsiders in a world of power and privilege.
It would have made our lives a lot easier if Marta had simply pushed Genevieve out of our bedroom window that day. Certainly, it would have been tragic. She would have died instantly.
But Marta didn’t push her then, or – if you choose to believe me – at any other time. If she had, all of what we went through would not have happened.
I’ve told this story as clearly as I could – as rationally as I’ve been able, in the circumstances, to achieve. I don’t regret what we did. And I would do it all again.
Publication Date: 11th April
TW: death, suicide, accident, injury detail, rape, self-harm, sexual assault, violence, bullying, sexual harassment, homophobia, classism
My Thoughts:
The Four was the kind of book that roots itself within your brain and refuses to leave. It was a tragic Dark Academia tale full of secrets, lies and anger.
This was Dark Academia at its finest. It peeks behind the glossy curtain of power and privilege in an extreme setting, exploiting the seedy undercurrent of abuse and exploitation. In particular, it hones in on unpicking the legacy upon which this institution thrives. By choosing to focus on the four scholarship students, Keel instantly examines the prevalent imbalance of power. We focus on class, but threads of race and gender are also keenly felt. This book is also not afraid to get dark in its exploration of the abuse of power – delving into sensitive topics with a nuance and emotional core that hit home for me. It does not feel sensational or purely for shock value, rather the explosive consequences of actions that have been building throughout. At times, it is a very tough read and the trigger warnings are there for a reason.
Rose serves as our primary protagonist, tying together the story threads. We see most actions through her eyes, though there is plenty to pick up from smaller details and context in the background. At the centre of it all is the ferociously intelligent, passionate and loyal Marta. She is somewhat of an enigma but clearly loves her friends and values the family built within this pressure cooker. This focus on characterisation is exactly what adds another layer of pathos to the eventual tragedy. It feels inevitable in its destruction, even as Keel takes your breath away. The writing is executed perfectly, keeping a balance that I adored.
The Four was character focused and introspective mystery that also looks at the fundamental failings of an institution only concerned about protecting itself. In short, it was dark, intense and incredible.
A Short Book Lover 
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