What do you think?
Rate this book
Unlikely Animals
A lost young woman returns to small-town New Hampshire under the strangest of circumstances in this one-of-a-kind novel of life, death, and whatever comes after from the acclaimed author of Rabbit Cake.
It was a source of entertainment at Maple Street Cemetery. Both funny and sad, the kind of story we like best.
Natural-born healer Emma Starling once had big plans for her life, but she's lost her way. A med school dropout, she's come back to small-town Everton, New Hampshire to care for her father, dying from a mysterious brain disease. Clive Starling has been hallucinating small animals, as well as visions of the ghost of a long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes, once known for letting wild animals live in his house. This ghost has been giving Clive some ideas on how to spend his final days.
Emma arrives home knowing she must face her dad's illness, her mom's judgement, and her younger brother's recent stint in rehab, but she's unprepared to find that her former best friend from high school is missing, with no one bothering to look for her. The police say they don't spend much time looking for drug addicts. Emma's dad is the only one convinced the young woman might still be alive, and Emma is hopeful he could be right. Someone should look for her, at least. Emma isn't really trying to be a hero—but somehow she and her father set in motion just the kind of miracle the town needs.
Set against the backdrop of a small town in the throes of a very real opioid crisis, Unlikely Animals is a tragicomic novel about familial expectations, imperfect friendships, and the possibility of resurrecting that which had been thought irrevocably lost.
It was a source of entertainment at Maple Street Cemetery. Both funny and sad, the kind of story we like best.
Natural-born healer Emma Starling once had big plans for her life, but she's lost her way. A med school dropout, she's come back to small-town Everton, New Hampshire to care for her father, dying from a mysterious brain disease. Clive Starling has been hallucinating small animals, as well as visions of the ghost of a long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes, once known for letting wild animals live in his house. This ghost has been giving Clive some ideas on how to spend his final days.
Emma arrives home knowing she must face her dad's illness, her mom's judgement, and her younger brother's recent stint in rehab, but she's unprepared to find that her former best friend from high school is missing, with no one bothering to look for her. The police say they don't spend much time looking for drug addicts. Emma's dad is the only one convinced the young woman might still be alive, and Emma is hopeful he could be right. Someone should look for her, at least. Emma isn't really trying to be a hero—but somehow she and her father set in motion just the kind of miracle the town needs.
Set against the backdrop of a small town in the throes of a very real opioid crisis, Unlikely Animals is a tragicomic novel about familial expectations, imperfect friendships, and the possibility of resurrecting that which had been thought irrevocably lost.
348 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,801 reviews
April 12, 2022
Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
Even though the residents of the small town Everton, New Hampshire don't know it, they have a little cheering section that wants the very best for them. This cheering section consists of the dead that are buried in Maple Street Cemetery. They wish the townspeople knew that they are never alone and they also wish the townspeople knew to savor each and every day like it could be their last. The Maple Street Cemetery dead would give anything to experience their everyday life one more day and wish they had known to pay attention to everything going on back when they were alive. Now they are like a small town Greek chorus, able to know the thoughts and actions of the townspeople and even the animals of the town. For instance, they know Moses, the dog, is not happy to be roused during the middle of the night to go somewhere since it cuts into his much needed twelve to fourteen hours of sleep a day.
Emma, who was born with healing hands, lost the touch long ago even though she is just twenty two. She's back in Everton, having never started med school because she realized she didn't want to be a doctor. Now she's living at home with her mom, dad, and twenty year old brother. Dad is still sort of in the dog house with her mom and her brother has completed two stints in drug rehab. Also, her former best friend, now very estranged, is missing and the only person who cares is her father, who has just a little time to live because of worsening mental decline. He has a ghost named Ernest Harold Baynes for a friend and he often sees animals where no one else sees them.
This is a lovely, heart lifting, but sometimes sad, story with several important messages. Emma takes a job as a long term substitute teacher for a small fifth grade class and I loved being with those kids with Emma. I wouldn't mind spending more time in this small town, with these flawed but special people, and with the denizens of the Maple Street Cemetery. Those dead folks have been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and would love to be able to help the still living if only too much meddling wouldn't cause them to go "poof" to who knows where.
Publication: April 12, 2022
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.
Even though the residents of the small town Everton, New Hampshire don't know it, they have a little cheering section that wants the very best for them. This cheering section consists of the dead that are buried in Maple Street Cemetery. They wish the townspeople knew that they are never alone and they also wish the townspeople knew to savor each and every day like it could be their last. The Maple Street Cemetery dead would give anything to experience their everyday life one more day and wish they had known to pay attention to everything going on back when they were alive. Now they are like a small town Greek chorus, able to know the thoughts and actions of the townspeople and even the animals of the town. For instance, they know Moses, the dog, is not happy to be roused during the middle of the night to go somewhere since it cuts into his much needed twelve to fourteen hours of sleep a day.
Emma, who was born with healing hands, lost the touch long ago even though she is just twenty two. She's back in Everton, having never started med school because she realized she didn't want to be a doctor. Now she's living at home with her mom, dad, and twenty year old brother. Dad is still sort of in the dog house with her mom and her brother has completed two stints in drug rehab. Also, her former best friend, now very estranged, is missing and the only person who cares is her father, who has just a little time to live because of worsening mental decline. He has a ghost named Ernest Harold Baynes for a friend and he often sees animals where no one else sees them.
This is a lovely, heart lifting, but sometimes sad, story with several important messages. Emma takes a job as a long term substitute teacher for a small fifth grade class and I loved being with those kids with Emma. I wouldn't mind spending more time in this small town, with these flawed but special people, and with the denizens of the Maple Street Cemetery. Those dead folks have been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and would love to be able to help the still living if only too much meddling wouldn't cause them to go "poof" to who knows where.
Publication: April 12, 2022
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.
February 20, 2022
Another addition to my favorite books for 2022.
What a fun, quirky book. Emma may have been born with a gift for healing, but it’s gone now. She returns home to New Hampshire after skipping out on medical school. Her father has a degenerative brain disease and he’s now hallucinating animals and ghosts, or at least the ghost of Ernest Harold Baynes, a long dead naturalist.
I loved the Greek chorus of the denizens of the Maple Street cemetery, with all the rules they must abide by. Intermingled with the current day story are articles about Mr. and Mrs. Baynes, who lived with a menagerie of wild animals in their house. (Make sure to read the Author’s Note about the real life Baynes.)
Brava to Hartnett for creating characters that are fully realized and realistic, despite their sometimes zany natures. She has created a heartwarming story, full of humor and emotion. She has captured the stress of dealing with a sick parent - the desire to get everything straightened out before it’s too late but the equally strong paralysis. She made sure to keep the story grounded in reality, with heroin addiction and infidelity along with upcoming death.
I recommend this for fans of Gail Honeyman, Ruth Hogan and Frederik Backman.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House - Ballantine for an advance copy of this book.
Update - This would make a nice book club selection. It covers the deep issues without getting all dark and depressing.
What a fun, quirky book. Emma may have been born with a gift for healing, but it’s gone now. She returns home to New Hampshire after skipping out on medical school. Her father has a degenerative brain disease and he’s now hallucinating animals and ghosts, or at least the ghost of Ernest Harold Baynes, a long dead naturalist.
I loved the Greek chorus of the denizens of the Maple Street cemetery, with all the rules they must abide by. Intermingled with the current day story are articles about Mr. and Mrs. Baynes, who lived with a menagerie of wild animals in their house. (Make sure to read the Author’s Note about the real life Baynes.)
Brava to Hartnett for creating characters that are fully realized and realistic, despite their sometimes zany natures. She has created a heartwarming story, full of humor and emotion. She has captured the stress of dealing with a sick parent - the desire to get everything straightened out before it’s too late but the equally strong paralysis. She made sure to keep the story grounded in reality, with heroin addiction and infidelity along with upcoming death.
I recommend this for fans of Gail Honeyman, Ruth Hogan and Frederik Backman.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House - Ballantine for an advance copy of this book.
Update - This would make a nice book club selection. It covers the deep issues without getting all dark and depressing.
April 12, 2022
5 Sparkling Stars
Unlikely Animals made my heart soar with love for both the people in this story, and the story itself. Infused with a hint of the magical quirkiness I’ve found in Jess Kidd’s novels, this is a nod to that very thin line between the living and those in the ‘in-between’ place, but also includes, aside from the human characters, a veritable menagerie of animals. Dogs and cats, yes, but also others most people would consider wild, including a pet fox and a pet bear.
Set in a small town in New Hampshire, this story is shared in part by a host of characters who reside in a cemetery and whose voices from the beyond debate the wisdom of decisions made by the living, often laced with a gentle sarcastic humour. They watch over the living, and have been paying special attention to Emma Starling and her family since Emma was born. As a newborn, the midwife at her birth declared that she was healed by Emma of her sciatica, a declaration which made the newspaper. A declaration that would follow and define young Emma.
As years pass, Emma leaves for college in California, and then medical school at UCLA, returning that Thanksgiving for the first time in two years. Her father’s health was failing, forcing him to retire. Given Emma’s ability to heal in the past, her mother hoped there was something that Emma could do to help her father. Emma just wants a break from her life, and so she stays, eventually taking a temporary job as a substitute teacher, which adds even more entertaining paths taken.
This was a delightful read, full of heart, while offering more than just a humorous story. A very unconventional family that loves each other, but they also do not always like each other. A mysterious disappearance. The passage of time - children become adults, their parents’ lives unravel, and this family struggles to find their place in the world and in their family.
A lovely tale which delicately balances both humour and sorrow in this story shared from multiple perspectives, including those residing in the cemetery, and other local - living - people and animals that add to the angst. A delightful story of the wonder, and wonders of life.
Published: 12 Apr 2022
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books
April 12, 2022
Happy Publication Day! April 12,2022
4.5⭐️ rounded up!
The ghosts of the Maple Street Cemetery in the fictional town of Everton, New Hampshire are governed by a strict set of rules and restrictions for its occupants and the most important ones are as follows:
Rule#1: No Meddling in the affairs of the living.
Rule#2: If you stop caring about the events of the living, you’re in direct violation of the rules of the cemetery, and your soul shrivels up before it disappears.
However, the rules do not prevent the ghosts from seeing everything that is going on in the lives of the residents of Everton. With wit, wisdom, humor and a healthy dose of sarcasm woven into their commentary, they proceed to narrate the story of the Starling family of Everton and their community.
We meet twenty–two–year–old Emma Starling, returning home from California, where she was attending college, on account of her father's illness. Unbeknownst to her family, she has dropped out of medical school and has been living in a vegan commune while trying to figure out what to do with the rest of her life. She was born with “charismata iamaton” – healing hands, a gift that her family thought would prove useful in the medical profession. However, her powers have dissipated to almost non-existent as she has grown older. Her father, Clive Starling, retired poetry professor, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness affecting his brain, causing cognitive and motor problems. Clive experiences hallucinations (mostly of cats, rabbits and other animals) which lead to some strange incidents in his classroom forcing him into retirement. He can also see and regularly interact with the ghost of long-dead official naturalist of Corbin Park, Ernest Harold Baynes, who lived with a number of wild animals in his home in the course of his lifetime. Clive's association with "Harold" lead to quite a few humorous incidents, much to the dismay of his family (like ordering a pet fox from Russia for an exorbitant sum of money, who Clive names Rasputin). Despite his illness, Clive refuses to stop actively searching for Emma’s high school friend Crystal Nash who has disappeared without a trace and was also an addict and involves Emma to assist in his efforts. Emma’s mother Ingrid, also employed at the college where Clive worked, is dealing with Clive’s illness and the cracks in her marriage while also taking care of Auggie, Emma’s younger brother and recovering addict. It is clear that this family needs time and effort to deal with so much going on and what follows is a series of events that test their endurance, loyalty and love for one another.
The novel focuses on family, community, marriage, relationships and infidelity while also addressing many serious issues such as age-related illness and the challenges of caregiving as well as substance abuse and opioid addiction and its effects on addicts and their loved ones. Emma’s efforts to bond with her fifth-grade class, at the elementary school where she takes a substitute teaching position, lead to some heartwarming moments and emphasizes the importance of teachers and schools in the community. Love for animals and the difference our animal friends can make in our lives is a running theme in this novel. (“That’s why we like living with animals so much; they exhibit their joy so outwardly, remind us how to be better alive.”) A lot is going on in this story, but the author keeps the tone engaging and unambiguous and never lets it become too heavy or overwhelming for the reader. I loved the selected excerpts and photographs of naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes (b. 1868–d. 1925) "the real-life Doctor Doolittle of New Hampshire”, his wife Louise and his animal friends shared as part of the narrative. I particularly enjoyed the stories featuring Jimmie the bear. This novel is enchanting, dream-like and full of heart and humor even in its saddest moments.
With an engaging narrative and a bit of mystery thrown into the mix, elements of magical realism and a lively cast of characters- animal (I adored both Moses, the dog and Rasputin, the fox) and human, living and deceased (yes! even ghosts can be lively!), Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett is a joy to read. Suspend disbelief and this is probably one of the most charming stories you can add to your to-read list.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for granting my request for a digital review copy of this fascinating novel in exchange for my honest review.
4.5⭐️ rounded up!
The ghosts of the Maple Street Cemetery in the fictional town of Everton, New Hampshire are governed by a strict set of rules and restrictions for its occupants and the most important ones are as follows:
Rule#1: No Meddling in the affairs of the living.
Rule#2: If you stop caring about the events of the living, you’re in direct violation of the rules of the cemetery, and your soul shrivels up before it disappears.
However, the rules do not prevent the ghosts from seeing everything that is going on in the lives of the residents of Everton. With wit, wisdom, humor and a healthy dose of sarcasm woven into their commentary, they proceed to narrate the story of the Starling family of Everton and their community.
We meet twenty–two–year–old Emma Starling, returning home from California, where she was attending college, on account of her father's illness. Unbeknownst to her family, she has dropped out of medical school and has been living in a vegan commune while trying to figure out what to do with the rest of her life. She was born with “charismata iamaton” – healing hands, a gift that her family thought would prove useful in the medical profession. However, her powers have dissipated to almost non-existent as she has grown older. Her father, Clive Starling, retired poetry professor, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness affecting his brain, causing cognitive and motor problems. Clive experiences hallucinations (mostly of cats, rabbits and other animals) which lead to some strange incidents in his classroom forcing him into retirement. He can also see and regularly interact with the ghost of long-dead official naturalist of Corbin Park, Ernest Harold Baynes, who lived with a number of wild animals in his home in the course of his lifetime. Clive's association with "Harold" lead to quite a few humorous incidents, much to the dismay of his family (like ordering a pet fox from Russia for an exorbitant sum of money, who Clive names Rasputin). Despite his illness, Clive refuses to stop actively searching for Emma’s high school friend Crystal Nash who has disappeared without a trace and was also an addict and involves Emma to assist in his efforts. Emma’s mother Ingrid, also employed at the college where Clive worked, is dealing with Clive’s illness and the cracks in her marriage while also taking care of Auggie, Emma’s younger brother and recovering addict. It is clear that this family needs time and effort to deal with so much going on and what follows is a series of events that test their endurance, loyalty and love for one another.
The novel focuses on family, community, marriage, relationships and infidelity while also addressing many serious issues such as age-related illness and the challenges of caregiving as well as substance abuse and opioid addiction and its effects on addicts and their loved ones. Emma’s efforts to bond with her fifth-grade class, at the elementary school where she takes a substitute teaching position, lead to some heartwarming moments and emphasizes the importance of teachers and schools in the community. Love for animals and the difference our animal friends can make in our lives is a running theme in this novel. (“That’s why we like living with animals so much; they exhibit their joy so outwardly, remind us how to be better alive.”) A lot is going on in this story, but the author keeps the tone engaging and unambiguous and never lets it become too heavy or overwhelming for the reader. I loved the selected excerpts and photographs of naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes (b. 1868–d. 1925) "the real-life Doctor Doolittle of New Hampshire”, his wife Louise and his animal friends shared as part of the narrative. I particularly enjoyed the stories featuring Jimmie the bear. This novel is enchanting, dream-like and full of heart and humor even in its saddest moments.
With an engaging narrative and a bit of mystery thrown into the mix, elements of magical realism and a lively cast of characters- animal (I adored both Moses, the dog and Rasputin, the fox) and human, living and deceased (yes! even ghosts can be lively!), Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett is a joy to read. Suspend disbelief and this is probably one of the most charming stories you can add to your to-read list.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for granting my request for a digital review copy of this fascinating novel in exchange for my honest review.
March 10, 2022
The best thing about getting old is forgetting things. Well, certain things. I read a book blurb when I’m deciding whether to put it on my TBR, and then that’s it. I usually forget it pretty quickly. Then when I’m perusing covers and titles in my quest to pick my next book, I know everything on my list has been prescreened by someone I really trust. Me. Then I can go in cold and not have anything spoiled for me. I love it!
So when I picked Unlikely Animals off my Net Galley list I had no earthly idea what it was about. It took me to about 20% or so to get oriented as to what I was reading. Where was this going? It all finally clicked for me, and I found I did indeed have a pre-approved gem in my hands! I loved this quirky little slice of life set in the fictional town of Everton, New Hampshire. Each chapter starts with a little message from Mr. Ernest Harold Baynes, dubbed by the author as “the real life Dr. Doolittle of New Hampshire,” along with a photograph of the good doctor with a wild animal. What a delight! Furthermore, the novel is narrated by the denizens of the graveyard on Maple Street in Everton. They can see and hear the people in Everton, but they cannot interfere with their lives because if they go too far, they will go up in a poof of smoke. Mr. Baynes doesn’t care. He’s dead too and he’s going to help out Clive Starling who is dying of a degenerative brain disorder that makes him see things and forget stuff.
The other major (living) characters are Clives’s daughter Emma (a former natural healer who has lost “The Charm”), his son Auggie (a recovering drug addict), and Clive’s wife, Ingrid, who has a lot on her plate and is getting tired of it all. We also have a 5th grade class of kids and a bunch of cool animals like Clive’s pet fox ordered from Russia by Mr. Baynes. These are all excellently drawn characters. Adding to the mix is an intriguing little mystery surrounding the sudden disappearance of Emma’s former best friend and Clive’s former bartender Crystal.
The story is lovely and full of heart. The Starling family is broken and estranged, and they are all struggling in one way or another. They are dealing with shattered dreams, loneliness, erosion of love, loss of direction, and illness. Their journey to healing involves unearthing buried love, forgiveness (a LOT of forgiveness), and help from a number of odd places, including the dead, the animals, a 5th grade class, and a wild production of The Titanic that has scenes almost on par with the rollicking nativity scenes in A Prayer for Owen Meany.
If you are looking for a delightful, heartfelt, out of the ordinary tale with characters you can love and suffer and laugh with, this one is for you. Highly recommended.
I would like to thank Net Galley, Ballantine Books, and Ms. Annie Hartnett for the ARC. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
So when I picked Unlikely Animals off my Net Galley list I had no earthly idea what it was about. It took me to about 20% or so to get oriented as to what I was reading. Where was this going? It all finally clicked for me, and I found I did indeed have a pre-approved gem in my hands! I loved this quirky little slice of life set in the fictional town of Everton, New Hampshire. Each chapter starts with a little message from Mr. Ernest Harold Baynes, dubbed by the author as “the real life Dr. Doolittle of New Hampshire,” along with a photograph of the good doctor with a wild animal. What a delight! Furthermore, the novel is narrated by the denizens of the graveyard on Maple Street in Everton. They can see and hear the people in Everton, but they cannot interfere with their lives because if they go too far, they will go up in a poof of smoke. Mr. Baynes doesn’t care. He’s dead too and he’s going to help out Clive Starling who is dying of a degenerative brain disorder that makes him see things and forget stuff.
The other major (living) characters are Clives’s daughter Emma (a former natural healer who has lost “The Charm”), his son Auggie (a recovering drug addict), and Clive’s wife, Ingrid, who has a lot on her plate and is getting tired of it all. We also have a 5th grade class of kids and a bunch of cool animals like Clive’s pet fox ordered from Russia by Mr. Baynes. These are all excellently drawn characters. Adding to the mix is an intriguing little mystery surrounding the sudden disappearance of Emma’s former best friend and Clive’s former bartender Crystal.
The story is lovely and full of heart. The Starling family is broken and estranged, and they are all struggling in one way or another. They are dealing with shattered dreams, loneliness, erosion of love, loss of direction, and illness. Their journey to healing involves unearthing buried love, forgiveness (a LOT of forgiveness), and help from a number of odd places, including the dead, the animals, a 5th grade class, and a wild production of The Titanic that has scenes almost on par with the rollicking nativity scenes in A Prayer for Owen Meany.
If you are looking for a delightful, heartfelt, out of the ordinary tale with characters you can love and suffer and laugh with, this one is for you. Highly recommended.
I would like to thank Net Galley, Ballantine Books, and Ms. Annie Hartnett for the ARC. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
March 29, 2022
This started out as unique and fun, with humor from the residents of the local cemetery, but it quickly devolved into the absurd.
I read to 40%, speed read to 60% and decided to call it quits. This was a buddy read with Marialyce, who soldiered on to the end. She told me what happened between 60% and the end, which confirmed my decision to just stop. (thanks awesome reading buddy! 😍)
Recommended for those who enjoy OTT quirky characters, ghosts as the (sometimes) omniscient Greek chorus, and excerpts from the writings of the long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes, who also makes an appearance as a ghost. Whew....
I'm giving it 2 stars because there were moments of humor and I loved the author's previous book Rabbit Cake. Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it won't be for other readers.
And I continue on my quest to end my reading slump!
* I received a digital copy for review from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
* publishing date 4/12/2022 by Random House Ballantine
I read to 40%, speed read to 60% and decided to call it quits. This was a buddy read with Marialyce, who soldiered on to the end. She told me what happened between 60% and the end, which confirmed my decision to just stop. (thanks awesome reading buddy! 😍)
Recommended for those who enjoy OTT quirky characters, ghosts as the (sometimes) omniscient Greek chorus, and excerpts from the writings of the long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes, who also makes an appearance as a ghost. Whew....
I'm giving it 2 stars because there were moments of humor and I loved the author's previous book Rabbit Cake. Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it won't be for other readers.
And I continue on my quest to end my reading slump!
* I received a digital copy for review from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
* publishing date 4/12/2022 by Random House Ballantine
December 15, 2022
"Unlikely Animals" by Annie Hartnett is a Blend of Humorous and Literary Fiction Mixed with Magical Realism!
The Starling Family lives in Everton, New Hampshire where Corbin Park, an enormous hunting park, and Maple Street Cemetery, home to many former residents, are both located.
Emma Starling, it is said, was born with healing hands but her hands haven't worked since Crystal Nash, her longtime BFF, disappeared. No one, including the police, look for missing addicts, like Crystal, during an opioid epidemic. No one except Emma's dad, Clive.
Clive Starling, a retired professor, has recently been diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer and is now seeing animals, which aren't there, and ghosts, notably Ernest Harold Baynes, the long-dead naturalist from Corbin Park. Baynes has a bone to pick of some kind in Everton and the residents on Maple Street are always on their mission of watching over this small town.
Now Emma has returned home to Everton, instead of attending medical school, to spend time with her dying father. She also needs time to work through the quandaries about her future...
I could go on and on, but I think you get my drift that this is a kooky story. Although I did struggle and almost stop several times, it did get better the further in I listened. However, the insanity and craziness never lets up, but I adjusted and decided to run with it.
The audiobook is narrated by Mark Bramhall and Kirby Heyborne and, at times, the voicing felt a little over-the-top. It could just be a "me thing" but I believe this would be a great example for choosing the e-book or print copy over the audiobook as a better choice for this particular story.
I love the cemetery residents and the magical realism of this story but what drew me in was the inclusion of mental health, dementia, and the opioid epidemic as topics. These are topics that have touched and impacted my family life through the years.
In the author's ending note, which I chose to read when I was seconds away from deciding to stop reading, Annie Hartnett explains why she created this story, why she included certain events and detail, and at the same time expresses great joy in the process of writing her book. That's what kept me reading this story instead of setting it aside: The authors' passion and vision for her storytelling.
Although this book wasn't the winner I expected, it was a read I'm glad I continued with to the end and I'll definitely be reading this authors' debut novel, Rabbit Cake sometime soon. 3.75 stars rounded up!
The Starling Family lives in Everton, New Hampshire where Corbin Park, an enormous hunting park, and Maple Street Cemetery, home to many former residents, are both located.
Emma Starling, it is said, was born with healing hands but her hands haven't worked since Crystal Nash, her longtime BFF, disappeared. No one, including the police, look for missing addicts, like Crystal, during an opioid epidemic. No one except Emma's dad, Clive.
Clive Starling, a retired professor, has recently been diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer and is now seeing animals, which aren't there, and ghosts, notably Ernest Harold Baynes, the long-dead naturalist from Corbin Park. Baynes has a bone to pick of some kind in Everton and the residents on Maple Street are always on their mission of watching over this small town.
Now Emma has returned home to Everton, instead of attending medical school, to spend time with her dying father. She also needs time to work through the quandaries about her future...
I could go on and on, but I think you get my drift that this is a kooky story. Although I did struggle and almost stop several times, it did get better the further in I listened. However, the insanity and craziness never lets up, but I adjusted and decided to run with it.
The audiobook is narrated by Mark Bramhall and Kirby Heyborne and, at times, the voicing felt a little over-the-top. It could just be a "me thing" but I believe this would be a great example for choosing the e-book or print copy over the audiobook as a better choice for this particular story.
I love the cemetery residents and the magical realism of this story but what drew me in was the inclusion of mental health, dementia, and the opioid epidemic as topics. These are topics that have touched and impacted my family life through the years.
In the author's ending note, which I chose to read when I was seconds away from deciding to stop reading, Annie Hartnett explains why she created this story, why she included certain events and detail, and at the same time expresses great joy in the process of writing her book. That's what kept me reading this story instead of setting it aside: The authors' passion and vision for her storytelling.
Although this book wasn't the winner I expected, it was a read I'm glad I continued with to the end and I'll definitely be reading this authors' debut novel, Rabbit Cake sometime soon. 3.75 stars rounded up!
April 9, 2022
An extraordinary book that encompasses what I thought it would be. I highly recommend if you are up for a heartwarming and emotional story, yet a humorous look at depictions of families.
Emma returns to her home in Everton, New Hampshire to help with her father suffering with a progressive brain disease, much like Alzheimer. After studying medicine to be a doctor, she dropped out of medical school and must confront the wrath of her family. Her mother is of little help with her father since she has dealt with her husband's infidelity. Her brother Auggie is dealing with his own demons as a recovering drug addict. Her best friend is missing and to no avail from the local police to locate her because of her drug addiction. The opioid crisis has hit this little town hard and Emma works as a substitute teacher after a teacher's family is affected.
Emma's father was a former professor and is obsessed with Ernest Harold Baynes (1868-1925)...he was known as the real life Dr. Doolittle seen conversing with animals. Her father now sees these animals in his house. Emma and her father's bond strengthens in a touching yet sometimes comical way when she cares for him and he helps her search for her missing friend.
One of the most quirky and genius parts of the book is the residents of the Maple Street Cemetery that keep watch over the living. They each long for one more chance to do life over and appreciate the little things. Their conversations are humorous and include 2 rules: #1 No meddling in the living's affairs #2 If you stop caring about the living, your soul will wither away. The realization that they are dead
can be haunting yet humorous. They witness realistic views as families battle daily with problems and as caretakers of loved ones.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this title in exchange for my honest review.
Emma returns to her home in Everton, New Hampshire to help with her father suffering with a progressive brain disease, much like Alzheimer. After studying medicine to be a doctor, she dropped out of medical school and must confront the wrath of her family. Her mother is of little help with her father since she has dealt with her husband's infidelity. Her brother Auggie is dealing with his own demons as a recovering drug addict. Her best friend is missing and to no avail from the local police to locate her because of her drug addiction. The opioid crisis has hit this little town hard and Emma works as a substitute teacher after a teacher's family is affected.
Emma's father was a former professor and is obsessed with Ernest Harold Baynes (1868-1925)...he was known as the real life Dr. Doolittle seen conversing with animals. Her father now sees these animals in his house. Emma and her father's bond strengthens in a touching yet sometimes comical way when she cares for him and he helps her search for her missing friend.
One of the most quirky and genius parts of the book is the residents of the Maple Street Cemetery that keep watch over the living. They each long for one more chance to do life over and appreciate the little things. Their conversations are humorous and include 2 rules: #1 No meddling in the living's affairs #2 If you stop caring about the living, your soul will wither away. The realization that they are dead
can be haunting yet humorous. They witness realistic views as families battle daily with problems and as caretakers of loved ones.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this title in exchange for my honest review.
July 11, 2022
I read this during my lighter reading period. Mixed results during my search, but this one was a winner. It is full of so many strings, it shouldn't work, but due to the skill of the author and the prodigious use of humor, it does. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A graveyard full of the dead who see all and have opinions on everything and everyone. A regular gossip show. A father, husband, recent professor who is very I'll but whose illness provides both humor and compassion. The prodigal daughter, who has lost her magic touch, returns home and a son whose recent rehab from drugs, finally seems to have worked. A fox, a dog, and a Titanic that doesn't sink. There's more, the serious issues handled with a soft and deft touch.
Loosely based on the man who could be the real Dr. Doolittle and Camden Park, which according to the author is still in existence. Quirky and fun, providing many smiles and contented sighs.
A graveyard full of the dead who see all and have opinions on everything and everyone. A regular gossip show. A father, husband, recent professor who is very I'll but whose illness provides both humor and compassion. The prodigal daughter, who has lost her magic touch, returns home and a son whose recent rehab from drugs, finally seems to have worked. A fox, a dog, and a Titanic that doesn't sink. There's more, the serious issues handled with a soft and deft touch.
Loosely based on the man who could be the real Dr. Doolittle and Camden Park, which according to the author is still in existence. Quirky and fun, providing many smiles and contented sighs.
March 12, 2024
Ooo this was one of the most charming wonderful unique book I’ve read in awhile! The charm was the perfect balance to some stronger themes like the opioid problem in this fictional town. Ooo tugged at my heartstrings. Loved it.
Audio narration was wonderful!
Audio narration was wonderful!
April 10, 2022
4 Unique Stars
This book explores a popular trope, returning to the small town you grew up in – in this case we meet Emma Starling, and the small town is Everton, New Hampshire. Emma has a healing touch, and she flees Everton to go to college in California. She’s all set to attend medical school, but things don’t work out.
She’s headed back to Everton now as her father is very ill. She’s not able to heal people anymore and she doesn’t want to share much about her life in California. She’s quickly thrown back into her family – often hilariously dysfunctional – and small-town life. Somehow, she ends up as a long-term substitute teacher as she tries to care for her father. He’s seeing a ghost and animals overrunning things.
Speaking of ghosts, we get to hear the perspective of many of the townspeople who are full time residents of the cemetery. They love to watch over the town, but they shouldn’t interfere with the living!
This one made me smile and laugh several times and I loved the antics of her fifth-grade class! Emma’s childhood best friend has been missing for months and her dad is a bit obsessed with finding her, putting up posters all over town. There are also shadows of the opioid epidemic that hang over the town.
If you are looking for something different to read and you enjoy some magical realism thrown in, this book will fit the bill! It was so nice to take a break from thrillers and darker reads with this one. There are definitely moments of humor in this one, but some serious issues as well. I enjoyed the family dynamics and don’t miss the author’s note at the end!
Thank you to Random House/Ballantine for the opportunity read and review this one.
This book explores a popular trope, returning to the small town you grew up in – in this case we meet Emma Starling, and the small town is Everton, New Hampshire. Emma has a healing touch, and she flees Everton to go to college in California. She’s all set to attend medical school, but things don’t work out.
She’s headed back to Everton now as her father is very ill. She’s not able to heal people anymore and she doesn’t want to share much about her life in California. She’s quickly thrown back into her family – often hilariously dysfunctional – and small-town life. Somehow, she ends up as a long-term substitute teacher as she tries to care for her father. He’s seeing a ghost and animals overrunning things.
Speaking of ghosts, we get to hear the perspective of many of the townspeople who are full time residents of the cemetery. They love to watch over the town, but they shouldn’t interfere with the living!
This one made me smile and laugh several times and I loved the antics of her fifth-grade class! Emma’s childhood best friend has been missing for months and her dad is a bit obsessed with finding her, putting up posters all over town. There are also shadows of the opioid epidemic that hang over the town.
If you are looking for something different to read and you enjoy some magical realism thrown in, this book will fit the bill! It was so nice to take a break from thrillers and darker reads with this one. There are definitely moments of humor in this one, but some serious issues as well. I enjoyed the family dynamics and don’t miss the author’s note at the end!
Thank you to Random House/Ballantine for the opportunity read and review this one.
February 11, 2022
Unlikely Animals is told in part by the small-town residents residing in the cemetery. The long- and recently-dead have amusing thoughts on the lives of those around them. Though the novel involves sad subjects like opioid addiction, depression, and dying, it does so in a quirky and ultimately uplifting way.
Emma Starling used to have a healing touch. She went to college across the country in California and got into medical school, but she realized she lost whatever gift she had. Her father has some degenerative brain disease—it’s not Alzheimer’s, but he does see hallucinations in the form of various animals, which forced the school where he worked as a professor to have him retire before the semester is over. Emma’s brother Auggie is out of rehab for the second time, and she realizes she has to face reality and admit to her family that she never showed up for medical school. When she comes home, she learns that her best friend from high school has been missing for months. Crystal also was battling addiction.
Though dealing with a dying older man and a younger man still trying to get back on his feet has its challenges, as a family and community, they come together to heal.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES APRIL 12, 2022.
Emma Starling used to have a healing touch. She went to college across the country in California and got into medical school, but she realized she lost whatever gift she had. Her father has some degenerative brain disease—it’s not Alzheimer’s, but he does see hallucinations in the form of various animals, which forced the school where he worked as a professor to have him retire before the semester is over. Emma’s brother Auggie is out of rehab for the second time, and she realizes she has to face reality and admit to her family that she never showed up for medical school. When she comes home, she learns that her best friend from high school has been missing for months. Crystal also was battling addiction.
Though dealing with a dying older man and a younger man still trying to get back on his feet has its challenges, as a family and community, they come together to heal.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES APRIL 12, 2022.
Read
March 1, 2023This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club March 2023 selection.
This contemporary fiction includes wild game, complex family relationships, and an interesting narrator experiencing the highs and lows of life. Annie Hartnett is a master at combining the heavy with the light. There are serious topics: dementia, depression, death, abduction, and the opioid crisis affecting New Hampshire where this is set. But it’s light tone overall. Hartnett said she was raised to find humor in difficult or dark situations and that’s the case here.
This contemporary fiction includes wild game, complex family relationships, and an interesting narrator experiencing the highs and lows of life. Annie Hartnett is a master at combining the heavy with the light. There are serious topics: dementia, depression, death, abduction, and the opioid crisis affecting New Hampshire where this is set. But it’s light tone overall. Hartnett said she was raised to find humor in difficult or dark situations and that’s the case here.
January 27, 2024
After I posted my review, “Rabbit Cake” by this author, you my GR friends said to me…
You must read this book.
So…
I ordered it from my local library and did exactly that. Read it.
So…
In its uniqueness, I found myself wowed by the author’s chosen narrators. An unlikely, but creatively interesting group of ghosts who inhabit the Everton Maple Street Cemetery.
How…
Can we not be impressed with this magical element of ghosts providing a play-by-play perspective of what is happening to its current town characters?...
Especially…
A point of view from such interesting “past” residents?
Somehow…
As readers, we were guided through some of the comings and goings of the living neighbors who struggled with addiction, were near dying themselves, and some just trying to find their niche in life.
And…
Speaking of addiction. The author handled the opioid crisis with delicacy, hope and tenderness.
This…
Is truly a story about family and caretaking, and the crises of small rural towns.
Which…
Felt raw and credible, even amongst the magical elements included in the story.
The author created an atmosphere where relationships and priorities evolved…
And…
At the same time, enhanced the experience for readers as we watched the characters navigate their view of life and death…
As well as…
Gain an appreciation for what really matters in the end.
It…
Has humor. Heartbreak. Laugh-out-loud moments.
And…
A tremendous love and respect for animals.
Compelling. Captivating. Uniquely original.
The author shares in her “Author’s Notes on her research” the following…
“I hope I’ve done right…, and I hope I’ve rendered the characters as complete and complicated people. This book is about rooting for everyone, and about loving a place. And I hope it’s clear that I deeply love the place.”
Yes, Ms. Hartnett, it is very clear. Thank you.
Lastly…
Speaking of the “Author’s notes…” I recommend you read them, too.
4.5 stars rounded up.
Rabbit Cake review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
You must read this book.
So…
I ordered it from my local library and did exactly that. Read it.
So…
In its uniqueness, I found myself wowed by the author’s chosen narrators. An unlikely, but creatively interesting group of ghosts who inhabit the Everton Maple Street Cemetery.
How…
Can we not be impressed with this magical element of ghosts providing a play-by-play perspective of what is happening to its current town characters?...
Especially…
A point of view from such interesting “past” residents?
Somehow…
As readers, we were guided through some of the comings and goings of the living neighbors who struggled with addiction, were near dying themselves, and some just trying to find their niche in life.
And…
Speaking of addiction. The author handled the opioid crisis with delicacy, hope and tenderness.
This…
Is truly a story about family and caretaking, and the crises of small rural towns.
Which…
Felt raw and credible, even amongst the magical elements included in the story.
The author created an atmosphere where relationships and priorities evolved…
And…
At the same time, enhanced the experience for readers as we watched the characters navigate their view of life and death…
As well as…
Gain an appreciation for what really matters in the end.
It…
Has humor. Heartbreak. Laugh-out-loud moments.
And…
A tremendous love and respect for animals.
Compelling. Captivating. Uniquely original.
The author shares in her “Author’s Notes on her research” the following…
“I hope I’ve done right…, and I hope I’ve rendered the characters as complete and complicated people. This book is about rooting for everyone, and about loving a place. And I hope it’s clear that I deeply love the place.”
Yes, Ms. Hartnett, it is very clear. Thank you.
Lastly…
Speaking of the “Author’s notes…” I recommend you read them, too.
4.5 stars rounded up.
Rabbit Cake review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 6, 2022
There are indifferent writers; good writers; outstanding writers; and then there are writers like Hartnett, that leave me with my jaw dropped down to my knees, thinking that I like to write, and you probably do, too, but friend, neither one of us will ever write like this. Not ever.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Random House Ballantine for the review copy.
Emma Starling is our protagonist, and she was born with healing powers in her hands. She went away to medical school, but was expelled for reasons that we don’t understand until later, and her healing touch is gone. She has quietly left school without telling a soul back home. She hasn’t even returned for a visit, but now she has been summoned unequivocally; her father is dying, and her mama wants her to come home. NOW.
There are enough points of view in this story to make your head spin. We have the graveyard crowd, for example, and since Everton, New Hampshire is such a tiny town, everybody knows everybody, dead or alive. When I first see that the dead are discussing the affairs of the living, I am dismayed, because the legendary Fannie Farmer has already done this in The Whole Town’s Talking. But soon it becomes obvious that this story isn’t derivative in the least; Hartnett takes this device and uses it in a different way, and it doesn’t dominate the story as Flagg’s does; these characters are there to provide a slightly more objective perspective than those that still live.
There are several points of view from among the living, too. And there are references throughout to the writings of Harold Baines, a naturalist instrumental in shaping the town and in particular, the iconic yet bizarre Corbin Park, which is open only to a chosen few. There are points of view offered from the critters as well; not all of the critters are real, however. And at the EXACT moment when I begin to think that the author should have pared this thing down, for heaven’s sake, because the organization appears to be all over the place, the narrative explains that
“A good story doesn’t always follow an arrow, sometimes it meanders a little instead, so we hope you’ll excuse this tangent…It might seem unrelated, but sometimes a minor character doesn’t become important until later…The lives of the living often get tangled up in unexpected ways, especially in a town as small as ours, even when a ten-foot electrified fence splits it up.”
I howled, because it felt as if the author had read my mind!
An important plot point is the disappearance of Crystal Nash. Crystal was Emma’s best friend, and had lived with the Starling family as sort of an informal foster child. Crystal developed an addiction and disappeared; Emma and Crystal had had a falling out, and Emma tries not to think about her too much now. Clive, Emma’s father, seldom thinks about anybody else. He’s turned over every rock; slapped a poster on every telephone pole.
To say the least, it’s an interesting homecoming for Emma.
As if the many points of view don’t make for a complex enough story, Hartnett takes us back in time—sometimes just a few years, at other times, way back in the past—and I am awestruck at the way she pulls all of it together at the end, with no loose ends hanging. At the outset I had been sure that this story should have been streamlined, but at the end, when I look back to see what, if anything, could be cut without detracting from the story, there is nothing that’s superfluous. Not one thing. All of these odd bits and pieces are essential to the story she is telling; “meandering,” indeed.
Because I had fallen behind in my reading, I checked out the audio version from Seattle Bibliocommons, and it is brilliantly performed. Usually a story this complicated doesn’t work for me as an audiobook, but this one is outstanding and not hard to follow (although I did go back over the DRC for some quotes.) Mark Bramhall and Kirby Heyborne do an exceptional job as narrators.
This is undoubtedly one of the finest novels we’ll see in 2022. Highly recommended in whatever format makes your heart happy.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Random House Ballantine for the review copy.
Emma Starling is our protagonist, and she was born with healing powers in her hands. She went away to medical school, but was expelled for reasons that we don’t understand until later, and her healing touch is gone. She has quietly left school without telling a soul back home. She hasn’t even returned for a visit, but now she has been summoned unequivocally; her father is dying, and her mama wants her to come home. NOW.
There are enough points of view in this story to make your head spin. We have the graveyard crowd, for example, and since Everton, New Hampshire is such a tiny town, everybody knows everybody, dead or alive. When I first see that the dead are discussing the affairs of the living, I am dismayed, because the legendary Fannie Farmer has already done this in The Whole Town’s Talking. But soon it becomes obvious that this story isn’t derivative in the least; Hartnett takes this device and uses it in a different way, and it doesn’t dominate the story as Flagg’s does; these characters are there to provide a slightly more objective perspective than those that still live.
There are several points of view from among the living, too. And there are references throughout to the writings of Harold Baines, a naturalist instrumental in shaping the town and in particular, the iconic yet bizarre Corbin Park, which is open only to a chosen few. There are points of view offered from the critters as well; not all of the critters are real, however. And at the EXACT moment when I begin to think that the author should have pared this thing down, for heaven’s sake, because the organization appears to be all over the place, the narrative explains that
“A good story doesn’t always follow an arrow, sometimes it meanders a little instead, so we hope you’ll excuse this tangent…It might seem unrelated, but sometimes a minor character doesn’t become important until later…The lives of the living often get tangled up in unexpected ways, especially in a town as small as ours, even when a ten-foot electrified fence splits it up.”
I howled, because it felt as if the author had read my mind!
An important plot point is the disappearance of Crystal Nash. Crystal was Emma’s best friend, and had lived with the Starling family as sort of an informal foster child. Crystal developed an addiction and disappeared; Emma and Crystal had had a falling out, and Emma tries not to think about her too much now. Clive, Emma’s father, seldom thinks about anybody else. He’s turned over every rock; slapped a poster on every telephone pole.
To say the least, it’s an interesting homecoming for Emma.
As if the many points of view don’t make for a complex enough story, Hartnett takes us back in time—sometimes just a few years, at other times, way back in the past—and I am awestruck at the way she pulls all of it together at the end, with no loose ends hanging. At the outset I had been sure that this story should have been streamlined, but at the end, when I look back to see what, if anything, could be cut without detracting from the story, there is nothing that’s superfluous. Not one thing. All of these odd bits and pieces are essential to the story she is telling; “meandering,” indeed.
Because I had fallen behind in my reading, I checked out the audio version from Seattle Bibliocommons, and it is brilliantly performed. Usually a story this complicated doesn’t work for me as an audiobook, but this one is outstanding and not hard to follow (although I did go back over the DRC for some quotes.) Mark Bramhall and Kirby Heyborne do an exceptional job as narrators.
This is undoubtedly one of the finest novels we’ll see in 2022. Highly recommended in whatever format makes your heart happy.
March 29, 2022
I swear I was sent the wrong book! I can’t once again be sitting in outlier land, but I am drifting in the sea of absurdity and ridiculously stupid mediocrity.
This book started out with some fun antics from the dearly departed, but once I arrived at about the 50% mark, I felt that we were tripping down the road to the a drug induced nirvana.
It was a story of a former professor who is forced into retirement because of some offensive behavior and seems to see rabbits, rats, and one dearly departed running amuck. He is on the outs with his wife for he had an affair and his son is a recovering addict with a daughter who had a case of recovering hands who just returned home to the abode of her parents.
Emma, the daughter gets herself a substitute teacher job sans a license or teaching credential by just walking into the principal’s office where the secretary semi forces her to take up the applications. In what seems like moments later, she is hired to replace a fifth grade teacher who is on leave because her husband is up on drug charges. She is ill equipped to handle her class of eight (say what) but muddles through with movies, watching court TV, and bringing her slightly off father to school! She has fifth graders who have an hour of silent reading, (absurd) and some who suck their thumb, ( a no no for any child who doesn’t want to be attacked on the playground) and during a musical about the Titanic has a student have a hard on.
It’s an absurd story that becomes something out of a poor Twilight Zone show. I mean really where does this 💩come from?
To say the ghosts add something to the story seems heavenly but they don’t do heaven and you won’t arrive there by reading this tripe. 🐀🐿🐇🐕🐶🐰🦊 (some of the animals you will meet in the tripe!?
Apologies to those that loved it come to all with a greeting 🙋♀️ from outlier land.
🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️warning stay away from this one if you are looking for a book that makes sense.
Thanks goes to NetGalley for a copy of this book! 🤦♀️
This book started out with some fun antics from the dearly departed, but once I arrived at about the 50% mark, I felt that we were tripping down the road to the a drug induced nirvana.
It was a story of a former professor who is forced into retirement because of some offensive behavior and seems to see rabbits, rats, and one dearly departed running amuck. He is on the outs with his wife for he had an affair and his son is a recovering addict with a daughter who had a case of recovering hands who just returned home to the abode of her parents.
Emma, the daughter gets herself a substitute teacher job sans a license or teaching credential by just walking into the principal’s office where the secretary semi forces her to take up the applications. In what seems like moments later, she is hired to replace a fifth grade teacher who is on leave because her husband is up on drug charges. She is ill equipped to handle her class of eight (say what) but muddles through with movies, watching court TV, and bringing her slightly off father to school! She has fifth graders who have an hour of silent reading, (absurd) and some who suck their thumb, ( a no no for any child who doesn’t want to be attacked on the playground) and during a musical about the Titanic has a student have a hard on.
It’s an absurd story that becomes something out of a poor Twilight Zone show. I mean really where does this 💩come from?
To say the ghosts add something to the story seems heavenly but they don’t do heaven and you won’t arrive there by reading this tripe. 🐀🐿🐇🐕🐶🐰🦊 (some of the animals you will meet in the tripe!?
Apologies to those that loved it come to all with a greeting 🙋♀️ from outlier land.
🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️warning stay away from this one if you are looking for a book that makes sense.
Thanks goes to NetGalley for a copy of this book! 🤦♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2022
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Literary Fiction + Magical Realism
Emma Starling was a natural healer upon birth. This gift she had was the focus in Everton, the small town she grew up in. Everybody thought Emma was going to be something big. Many years later Emma returns back to her town after she dropped out of medical school. The main reason for Emma’s return is the health of her father, Clive Starling. The man is suffering from a mysterious brain disease that causes him to have hallucinations that involve small animals. Emma’s mother, Ingrid was hoping that her daughter’s healing ability will help to extend her husband’s life, unaware that her daughter had lost her gift.
Unlikely Animals is a good story that has so many things going for it. The characters are well written and well developed. The concept of the story is very intriguing. There are many subjects it tackles like illness, infidelity, substance addiction, etc. However, my main issue with it is that it felt too crowded for the length of the book. There are so many things going on at the same time, like the ghosts in the cemetery, the animals, hallucinations about Ernest Harold Baynes, and Crystal’s disappearance. There are just too many things and for such a length this will cause a few subjects to be less focused than others.
I liked the author’s writing style and the way she dealt with each member of the Starling family. This family was struggling in a big way with each member of it suffering from something, be it illness, uncertain future, or changes in life goals. I feel all this has enriched the story positively. I feel the story would have been better off without the animals. Maybe because I couldn’t understand the significance of their presence. I’m sure their presence was more symbolic and they represented particular things. Overall, the story was quite impactful. I liked it.
Many thanks to the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
Genre: Literary Fiction + Magical Realism
Emma Starling was a natural healer upon birth. This gift she had was the focus in Everton, the small town she grew up in. Everybody thought Emma was going to be something big. Many years later Emma returns back to her town after she dropped out of medical school. The main reason for Emma’s return is the health of her father, Clive Starling. The man is suffering from a mysterious brain disease that causes him to have hallucinations that involve small animals. Emma’s mother, Ingrid was hoping that her daughter’s healing ability will help to extend her husband’s life, unaware that her daughter had lost her gift.
Unlikely Animals is a good story that has so many things going for it. The characters are well written and well developed. The concept of the story is very intriguing. There are many subjects it tackles like illness, infidelity, substance addiction, etc. However, my main issue with it is that it felt too crowded for the length of the book. There are so many things going on at the same time, like the ghosts in the cemetery, the animals, hallucinations about Ernest Harold Baynes, and Crystal’s disappearance. There are just too many things and for such a length this will cause a few subjects to be less focused than others.
I liked the author’s writing style and the way she dealt with each member of the Starling family. This family was struggling in a big way with each member of it suffering from something, be it illness, uncertain future, or changes in life goals. I feel all this has enriched the story positively. I feel the story would have been better off without the animals. Maybe because I couldn’t understand the significance of their presence. I’m sure their presence was more symbolic and they represented particular things. Overall, the story was quite impactful. I liked it.
Many thanks to the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
July 18, 2022
Unlikely Animals is a wonderful dose of warm fuzziness spiked with weirdness and laugh-out-loud humor. As Harnett says in her afterword "This book is about rooting for everyone and loving a place."
February 15, 2024
A quirky meditation on grief, healing, and friendship. Following a family in a small New England town as they navigate illness, substance abuse, and the nuance of the caregiver experience, as well as the magical occurrences that gather around them, Unlikely Animals is a wholly heartfelt look into the worst and best parts of siblinghood, marriage, and parent-child relationships. It is a journey of redemption and rediscovering the beauty of life, of forgiveness and of connecting with kindred spirits. Eccentric, charming, and with the animated language of a beloved folktale. A uniquely earnest inspiration to heal and get to know one’s family and friends in a new light.
April 4, 2022
Every once in a while, a book comes along that captivates my attention through the synopsis, and then delivers everything I had hoped in the story. That was this story for me. A touch of the unbelievable, a touch of drama, a touch of grief, a touch of regret, a touch of unrealized potential, a touch of humor, a touch of quirkiness, a touch of family dynamics, and most of all, a touch of community and watching out for one another.
I am a sucker for unique, quirky and heart-bending stories. I loved the overarching themes in this one of forgiveness, compassion, re-defining yourself, expectations, family, love and letting go.
The deceased residents of Maple Street Cemetery watch over the town of Everton, New Hampshire, but are not allowed to meddle. The reader knows that the person speaking is deceased by the way the author includes a date range in parenthesis next to their name. I just thought that was genius. The characters are witty and practical. The story focuses mostly on one family's story, the Starlings. Clive, the father and former college professor is beginning his battle against a degenerative brain disease. Ingrid is Clive's fourth and current wife and their children are Emma and Auggie.
Emma has come home after pretending to be away at medical school to spend time with her dying father. Auggie, her brother who she has had a somewhat distant relationship ship with is also home. Auggie has been in and out of rehab for a drug problem several times, and has been a source of stress for the family for some time. Emma's mother has dealt with the brunt of his care, and after the blow of Clive's extramarital affair, decides that it will be good for Emma and Auggie to step in to care for their father. Dysfunctional family dynamics? check. Emma's childhood friend, Crystal, was declared a missing person while Emma was away at "school." Now that she is back in town, she joins her father in his quest to find any information about her friend's mysterious disappearance.
There is so much more to this story and how the different stories intersect. Animals, both wild and domesticated are a large part of the town's history and of this story. There were so many funny moments and even with a dismal reason for Emma's return home, this family finds its way back to each other and the community finds its way back to celebrating each moment.
I loved, loved, loved this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballentine for the ARC to read and review. Pub date: 4.12.22
"That's why we like living with animals so much; they exhibit their joy so outwardly, and remind us how to be better alive."
I am a sucker for unique, quirky and heart-bending stories. I loved the overarching themes in this one of forgiveness, compassion, re-defining yourself, expectations, family, love and letting go.
The deceased residents of Maple Street Cemetery watch over the town of Everton, New Hampshire, but are not allowed to meddle. The reader knows that the person speaking is deceased by the way the author includes a date range in parenthesis next to their name. I just thought that was genius. The characters are witty and practical. The story focuses mostly on one family's story, the Starlings. Clive, the father and former college professor is beginning his battle against a degenerative brain disease. Ingrid is Clive's fourth and current wife and their children are Emma and Auggie.
Emma has come home after pretending to be away at medical school to spend time with her dying father. Auggie, her brother who she has had a somewhat distant relationship ship with is also home. Auggie has been in and out of rehab for a drug problem several times, and has been a source of stress for the family for some time. Emma's mother has dealt with the brunt of his care, and after the blow of Clive's extramarital affair, decides that it will be good for Emma and Auggie to step in to care for their father. Dysfunctional family dynamics? check. Emma's childhood friend, Crystal, was declared a missing person while Emma was away at "school." Now that she is back in town, she joins her father in his quest to find any information about her friend's mysterious disappearance.
There is so much more to this story and how the different stories intersect. Animals, both wild and domesticated are a large part of the town's history and of this story. There were so many funny moments and even with a dismal reason for Emma's return home, this family finds its way back to each other and the community finds its way back to celebrating each moment.
I loved, loved, loved this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballentine for the ARC to read and review. Pub date: 4.12.22
"That's why we like living with animals so much; they exhibit their joy so outwardly, and remind us how to be better alive."
June 1, 2022
4.5
What could one call a hilarious story narrated by a dead person whose permanent residence is the town cemetery? Dismally hilarious? Bleakly funny?
Well, the story is about many things, such as loss, grief, family, empathy, hope and love...i know, i know...a cliché description for many books nowadays...blah, blah, blah.
What makes this book different is its quirkiness and originality and a lovable and fun-to-be-with cast of characters.
This is a book which will be remembered for a long time. At times, I couldn't help but laugh out loud while reading. Gradually the characters became like old, dependable friends and it was difficult to say goodbye to them when the book ended.
Emma Starling used to have a healing touch when she was a child, or so they say. After losing her 'gift' and her job, she returns to the family house to be closer to her dying, hallucinating father only to learn that her estranged best friend has been missing and no one is looking for her, but her father. Well, she may have lost her touch, but she is determined to help her father and find her friend.
What could one call a hilarious story narrated by a dead person whose permanent residence is the town cemetery? Dismally hilarious? Bleakly funny?
Well, the story is about many things, such as loss, grief, family, empathy, hope and love...i know, i know...a cliché description for many books nowadays...blah, blah, blah.
What makes this book different is its quirkiness and originality and a lovable and fun-to-be-with cast of characters.
This is a book which will be remembered for a long time. At times, I couldn't help but laugh out loud while reading. Gradually the characters became like old, dependable friends and it was difficult to say goodbye to them when the book ended.
Emma Starling used to have a healing touch when she was a child, or so they say. After losing her 'gift' and her job, she returns to the family house to be closer to her dying, hallucinating father only to learn that her estranged best friend has been missing and no one is looking for her, but her father. Well, she may have lost her touch, but she is determined to help her father and find her friend.
February 1, 2023
I am a big fan of quirky humor and loveable characters and so Unlikely Animals hit the sweet spot for me, sort of a Dr. Dolittle in Wonderland. It is part historical fiction, part family drama, part mystery and, my favorite, part magical realism. I would recommend readers start by reading the author's notes on her research at the end of the book first. No spoilers but I think it makes the story even more special. There are serious topics here including death, dementia, depression, addiction, and a missing loved one but it is never dark or brooding and no trigger warnings seem needed.
There is something very loveable about a story where a family and a community earnestly struggle to come together, weathering whatever storms come their way. I love the little town of Everton, New Hampshire where the omniscient (within town limits) dead watch over the community, cheering them on but not meddling too much for fear of poofing into the unknown. I love a story with animals both real and imagined and I especially love a story the author has so clearly put her heart and soul into, creating a joyful story based on true events with a bit of added magic.
Thank you Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing a DRC for
my enjoyment and review.
There is something very loveable about a story where a family and a community earnestly struggle to come together, weathering whatever storms come their way. I love the little town of Everton, New Hampshire where the omniscient (within town limits) dead watch over the community, cheering them on but not meddling too much for fear of poofing into the unknown. I love a story with animals both real and imagined and I especially love a story the author has so clearly put her heart and soul into, creating a joyful story based on true events with a bit of added magic.
Thank you Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing a DRC for
my enjoyment and review.
May 24, 2024
Quirky story surrounding a broken family. There was a charming introduction to each chapter providing an insight into animals and a photograph relating to the naturist Ernest Harold Baynes and his wife Louise.
The highlight for me was the humorous reflection on the thoughts and actions of the living by the fairly sarcastic residents buried in the local cemetery.
The highlight for me was the humorous reflection on the thoughts and actions of the living by the fairly sarcastic residents buried in the local cemetery.
April 12, 2022
"Unlikely Animals" by Annie Hartnett, is one of the most creative books I've ever read. Addressing tough topics is never easy, but Hartnett's use of humor is spot on. The characters are refreshingly different from anything I have ever experienced. The pictures are a treasure trove of visual joy and add so much depth to the story. I am giving this 4.5 rating bumped to 5. However, the dark humor and sensitive content may not be suitable for everyone.
Emma Starling, returns to her small hometown of Everton, NH. Her dad Clive Starling, has a terminal brain disease and is in the end stages of his life. Clive is a colorful character who is having vivid illusions of animals. Curiously Clive develops a (ghost) imaginary friend named "Ernest Howard Banes". Clive and Ernest's adventures are laugh out loud funny.
This story reached out to me in a personal way. Dementia type illnesses are a dark difficult subject matter that Hartnett handles with heartfelt grace. The surprise POV's are pure comedic gold. I loved every page of this book! " Unlikely Animals" will be published April 12th.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine, for the honor of reviewing this outstanding e-book. I can't wait to read more from Annie Hartnett!
Emma Starling, returns to her small hometown of Everton, NH. Her dad Clive Starling, has a terminal brain disease and is in the end stages of his life. Clive is a colorful character who is having vivid illusions of animals. Curiously Clive develops a (ghost) imaginary friend named "Ernest Howard Banes". Clive and Ernest's adventures are laugh out loud funny.
This story reached out to me in a personal way. Dementia type illnesses are a dark difficult subject matter that Hartnett handles with heartfelt grace. The surprise POV's are pure comedic gold. I loved every page of this book! " Unlikely Animals" will be published April 12th.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine, for the honor of reviewing this outstanding e-book. I can't wait to read more from Annie Hartnett!
April 1, 2022
ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
2.5 stars.
This is a book about a small town in New Hampshire, a friendship, a missing girl, a new romance, a group of ghosts in a cemetery giving commentary, a hunting preserve, the opioid crisis, a father dying and many other things.
The problem I had with the novel was I felt the author just tried to do too much and I never could figure out what the story was actually about. So many of the elements were interesting and might have been a great story in and of themselves but too many plot lines seemed added at random. I felt like I was at a loud family discussion where everyone was trying to talk at once. The story got lost in the many voices.
The primary plot line: Emma comes back home from failed attempt at medical school to help take care of her father who has a brain disorder and is dying. Her father has lost his job, alienated his wife due to having an affair, and her brother is just home from rehab after treatment for addiction to first opioids and then heroin due to a sports injury. Emma soon learns that her best friend has gone missing and no one but her father seems to care. Her father is hallucinating but one of the ghosts he sees was/is actually a person who was a naturalist who lived in the town (this ghost has several chapters telling about his life). From there we meet many of the people both alive and dead who lived in this town. The story advances in several directions, Emma gets involved with an old flame, takes a job as an elementary school teacher, drugs are found in the classroom, a trial determines who is guilty and the friend stays missing. Eventually we find out what happened to the friend, and several of the plot lines are pulled together well, a feat in itself. I almost gave 3 stars for how the author managed to pull it all together.
Early on in this book I felt it was not for me. The writing style reminded me of Thing in Jars by Jess Kidd which I was not a big fan of. If you liked that book I think you might like this novel. I never really engaged with the many characters and plot lines.
2.5 stars.
This is a book about a small town in New Hampshire, a friendship, a missing girl, a new romance, a group of ghosts in a cemetery giving commentary, a hunting preserve, the opioid crisis, a father dying and many other things.
The problem I had with the novel was I felt the author just tried to do too much and I never could figure out what the story was actually about. So many of the elements were interesting and might have been a great story in and of themselves but too many plot lines seemed added at random. I felt like I was at a loud family discussion where everyone was trying to talk at once. The story got lost in the many voices.
The primary plot line: Emma comes back home from failed attempt at medical school to help take care of her father who has a brain disorder and is dying. Her father has lost his job, alienated his wife due to having an affair, and her brother is just home from rehab after treatment for addiction to first opioids and then heroin due to a sports injury. Emma soon learns that her best friend has gone missing and no one but her father seems to care. Her father is hallucinating but one of the ghosts he sees was/is actually a person who was a naturalist who lived in the town (this ghost has several chapters telling about his life). From there we meet many of the people both alive and dead who lived in this town. The story advances in several directions, Emma gets involved with an old flame, takes a job as an elementary school teacher, drugs are found in the classroom, a trial determines who is guilty and the friend stays missing. Eventually we find out what happened to the friend, and several of the plot lines are pulled together well, a feat in itself. I almost gave 3 stars for how the author managed to pull it all together.
Early on in this book I felt it was not for me. The writing style reminded me of Thing in Jars by Jess Kidd which I was not a big fan of. If you liked that book I think you might like this novel. I never really engaged with the many characters and plot lines.
April 3, 2022
In Unlikely Animals, Annie Hartnett weaves together an unlikely tapestry blending the foibles of a loving but fractured family, a missing person case, the opioid epidemic in northeastern U.S., and the ghost of a turn-of-the-20th-Century naturalist who shared his home with a variety of wild animals. Hilarity and sorrow blend here—as they often do in real life—and unexpected events are always on the horizon.
I don't want to say more about the plot because this is a book best read with a "clean slate." I can say that for anyone interested in family stories, end-of-life concerns, human-animal interactions, public schools, addiction, healing, and/or magical realism, this is a title that will work for you. Give yourself the gift of this wide-ranging, imaginative novel.
I received a free copy of this title for review purposes from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
I don't want to say more about the plot because this is a book best read with a "clean slate." I can say that for anyone interested in family stories, end-of-life concerns, human-animal interactions, public schools, addiction, healing, and/or magical realism, this is a title that will work for you. Give yourself the gift of this wide-ranging, imaginative novel.
I received a free copy of this title for review purposes from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
February 12, 2023
Rating: 3.45
At first glance, the premise struck me as unique due to the animals and periodic narratives of ghosts. I felt the pitfall was the addition of missing persons, drugs, school kids and divorce which takes away from the narrative.
We first meet Emma Starling, who was born with the natural ability to heal. Years later we find her struggling with whether to start med school classes in CA. When she learns her father Clive, is dying from cancer, she decides to return home. A former college professor, Clive and his wife Ingrid live in the caretakers house near the mansion formerly occupied by Ernest Harold Baynes, an animal rescuer and respected businessman. The mansion sits near Corbin Park, an animal refuse he created which spans thousands of acres with a unusual variety of wildlife. Suffering dementia, Clive has periodic conversations with the ghost of Baynes who offers advice on a myriad of subjects including the disappearance of Crystal Nash, Emma's former best friend.
Emma's brother August, aka Auggie, suspects Crystal's disappearance is tied to her addiction to heroine, which having just been released from rehab, is a subject he knows well. From here we learn the wife of a recently arrested heroine dealer takes a sudden leave of absence from her teaching position at the local grade school. As if made to order, Emma is offered the position.
From here the story gets bogged down with animals, drugs, grade school musicals and countless other things of which most have little to do with the original premise. While its reasonably well written, I found it confusing, odd and and lackluster. That said, I've decided to read her debut novel, Rabbit Cake, with hopes its more to my liking.
At first glance, the premise struck me as unique due to the animals and periodic narratives of ghosts. I felt the pitfall was the addition of missing persons, drugs, school kids and divorce which takes away from the narrative.
We first meet Emma Starling, who was born with the natural ability to heal. Years later we find her struggling with whether to start med school classes in CA. When she learns her father Clive, is dying from cancer, she decides to return home. A former college professor, Clive and his wife Ingrid live in the caretakers house near the mansion formerly occupied by Ernest Harold Baynes, an animal rescuer and respected businessman. The mansion sits near Corbin Park, an animal refuse he created which spans thousands of acres with a unusual variety of wildlife. Suffering dementia, Clive has periodic conversations with the ghost of Baynes who offers advice on a myriad of subjects including the disappearance of Crystal Nash, Emma's former best friend.
Emma's brother August, aka Auggie, suspects Crystal's disappearance is tied to her addiction to heroine, which having just been released from rehab, is a subject he knows well. From here we learn the wife of a recently arrested heroine dealer takes a sudden leave of absence from her teaching position at the local grade school. As if made to order, Emma is offered the position.
From here the story gets bogged down with animals, drugs, grade school musicals and countless other things of which most have little to do with the original premise. While its reasonably well written, I found it confusing, odd and and lackluster. That said, I've decided to read her debut novel, Rabbit Cake, with hopes its more to my liking.
March 28, 2023
4.5 stars
Annie Hartnett’s Unlikely Animals is a quirky, unique, interesting story – the likes of which I can honestly say that I’ve never read before. I’m actually not sure if I’ll be able to describe the “uniqueness” of this story accurately – I will certainly try, but I recommend reading this one yourself to get the full experience of it.
On the surface, this sounds like a perfectly ordinary “small-town homecoming” story where the main protagonist Emma Starling decides to return home to her family in Everton, New Hampshire after having dropped out of med school in California. Having lost her way, Emma was hoping to escape back to her hometown to “figure things out” and put her life back on track, which turns out to be easier said than done given what she has to face upon arrival: her judgmental mother Ingrid who doesn’t seem to approve of anything she does; her younger brother Auggie, whom Emma has always been at odds with growing up, with their relationship deteriorating even further after Auggie’s recent stint in rehab; and her father Clive, who is dying from a degenerative brain disease that causes him to hallucinate not just small animals, but also the ghost of a long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes. But that’s not all….Emma is also shocked to find out that her best friend from high school, Crystal Nash, has been missing for months, but with the local police writing the case off due to Crystal’s drug use prior to her disappearance, no one is making an effort to find her – that is, except for Emma’s dad Clive, who remains steadfast in his belief that Crystal must still be alive and so spends most of his days putting up missing persons posters all around town. What ensues is a series of events that come together and form a story that is both poignant and wistful, yet also funny and heartwarming, all at the same time.
One of the things that made this story so unique was Harnett’s ability to combine the realistic and the fanciful to such great effect. On the one hand, there were characters who felt so real, with their universally relatable struggles, having to deal with real-life issues such as drug addiction, infidelity, terminal illness, parental expectations and judgment, strained friendships, sibling rivalry, the ups and downs of relationships in general, etc. – basically ordinary people dealing with familiar situations that so many of us could resonate with. Yet on the other hand, there were also fantastical elements that were more than a little “magical” – such as a character hallucinating small animals and having conversations with a ghost, a cute pet fox that is friendly with humans and acts more like a dog than a fox, a giant white dog that thinks and acts more like a human than a dog, and most amusing of all, an entire story narrated by the spirits of a bunch of dead folks from their “forever resting place” at the Maple Street Cemetery (this was my absolute favorite element of the story).
Genre-wise, this felt like a mashup that didn’t really fit neatly in any one category. In addition to the fantasy / magical realism and contemporary fiction elements mentioned earlier, there were also elements of mystery / suspense (what happened to Crystal and the ongoing search for her), historical fiction (the story of nineteen-century robber-baron Austin Corbin, the real-life Ernest Harold Baynes, who was a naturalist once employed at the park bearing Corbin’s name, and the real animals that Harold and his wife lived with during their lifetime), and some romance (a very minor element in the story). In her Author’s Note (which is a must-read) as well as in interviews, Hartnett talked about how some of the scenes in the book were based on “scraps” from her real life (such as the deer scene for example or her own experience as a sixth grade teacher when she was twenty two) — so there were some biographical elements mixed in as well!
This was a story with both humor and heart that I’m absolutely glad I got the chance to read (thank goodness for book club, as I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up otherwise). Having enjoyed this book as much as I did, I’ve also put Hartnett’s debut novel, Rabbit Cake , on my TBR — definitely something to look forward to in the future.
April 15, 2022
This was such a poignant, and quirky almost fairytale book. I thought the premise sounded really unique. Once I started, I realized quickly how much I was going to like this one. It was fun, and lighthearted although dealing with some difficult topics.
Emma Starling was born with the gift of healing, but she lost that gift. She was going to go to medical school but has changed her mind and goes back home her small town in New Hampshire. Her father has a terminal, degenerative brain disease, her brother has completed 2 stents in drug rehab for opioid addiction, and now her estranged best friend is missing. Her father has hallucinations and sees animals that aren't there and the ghost of Ernest Harold Baynes, who had lived with wild animals throughout his life.
The ghosts in the Maple Street cemetery can watch over the residents of the town. We hear from the living and dead who reside in this town. This is a family saga dealing with drug addiction, infidelity, and terminal illness, but in and odd way can be felt to be uplifting. I really enjoyed the character of Clive, Emma's father. You want to forgive him for his wrong doings. I really loved Emma too. I really enjoyed reading this very unique story and would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Emma Starling was born with the gift of healing, but she lost that gift. She was going to go to medical school but has changed her mind and goes back home her small town in New Hampshire. Her father has a terminal, degenerative brain disease, her brother has completed 2 stents in drug rehab for opioid addiction, and now her estranged best friend is missing. Her father has hallucinations and sees animals that aren't there and the ghost of Ernest Harold Baynes, who had lived with wild animals throughout his life.
The ghosts in the Maple Street cemetery can watch over the residents of the town. We hear from the living and dead who reside in this town. This is a family saga dealing with drug addiction, infidelity, and terminal illness, but in and odd way can be felt to be uplifting. I really enjoyed the character of Clive, Emma's father. You want to forgive him for his wrong doings. I really loved Emma too. I really enjoyed reading this very unique story and would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
January 21, 2022
I got this book for free from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
What an unorthodox yet pleasant surprise this book was from beginning to end. Annie Harnett’s writing style is so lively that it pulls you into her crazy world whether you’re willing or not. I never knew what was coming next and what was revealed was often way beyond my imagination’s boundaries. Thrown into this strange, unpredictable melange of events was humor that often stopped me in my tracks. (Such as Clive’s adventure on the motorcycle or Emma’s experiences as a fifth grade teacher.) Emma and her dad Clive were memorable characters who learned how to tolerate and maybe even love each other. Ingrid and Auggie, mother and son rounded out the quirky Starling family. Add to that the dead people who needed their say, the expensive fox and Crystal, the missing friend.
I really can’t do this book justice with my words. Going along for the ride is much more fun than reading a summary or others’ opinions. So, if you can accept a little woo woo, grab this book when it comes out in the spring. For now, as soon as I finish Harlem Shuffle, I’m going to read her debut novel Rabbit Cake and hope for another romp.
What an unorthodox yet pleasant surprise this book was from beginning to end. Annie Harnett’s writing style is so lively that it pulls you into her crazy world whether you’re willing or not. I never knew what was coming next and what was revealed was often way beyond my imagination’s boundaries. Thrown into this strange, unpredictable melange of events was humor that often stopped me in my tracks. (Such as Clive’s adventure on the motorcycle or Emma’s experiences as a fifth grade teacher.) Emma and her dad Clive were memorable characters who learned how to tolerate and maybe even love each other. Ingrid and Auggie, mother and son rounded out the quirky Starling family. Add to that the dead people who needed their say, the expensive fox and Crystal, the missing friend.
I really can’t do this book justice with my words. Going along for the ride is much more fun than reading a summary or others’ opinions. So, if you can accept a little woo woo, grab this book when it comes out in the spring. For now, as soon as I finish Harlem Shuffle, I’m going to read her debut novel Rabbit Cake and hope for another romp.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,801 reviews