Call number
FIC HAR
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Publication
Ballantine Books (2022), 368 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:�??This tragicomic novel is heartfelt, touching, and delightfully quirky. You�??ll fall in love with the offbeat cast of characters (both living and dead) and find yourself rooting for them right through the last page.�?��??Good Housekeeping (Book Club pick) 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. ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Book Riot �?� Longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize 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 medical school dropout, she�??s come back to small-town Everton, New Hampshire, to care for her father, who is dying from a mysterious brain disease. Clive Starling has been hallucinating small animals, as well as having 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 judgment, 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 bring about 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 tha… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.
Unlikely Animals is a bonkers book that somehow works. It is a tale of small town New Hampshire, narrated by the collective of the town's ghosts, who have interior insight into the minds and events in their small domain. It's also the story of a
I was bewildered by the book and its farcical vibe. More than once, I wondered if this was really the right read for me, but I pressed on. I'm glad I did. There were plot points I wanted to have answered, and the ending was quite satisfying. This is a read that will linger in my memory not only because it was so very weird, but also because it was filled with a lot of heart.
Unlikely Animals is a bonkers book that somehow works. It is a tale of small town New Hampshire, narrated by the collective of the town's ghosts, who have interior insight into the minds and events in their small domain. It's also the story of a
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young woman who is a healer that cannot heal, of the complicated grief of losing a loved one to dementia, and of the devastating impact of opioid addiction on American towns. There is a fantastical element to the book, but it's also ardently literary in its storytelling.I was bewildered by the book and its farcical vibe. More than once, I wondered if this was really the right read for me, but I pressed on. I'm glad I did. There were plot points I wanted to have answered, and the ending was quite satisfying. This is a read that will linger in my memory not only because it was so very weird, but also because it was filled with a lot of heart.
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LibraryThing member Hccpsk
Emma Starling returns home to her small town in New Hampshire for all the wrong reasons — among them dropping out of medical school and her father dying of a brain disease that makes him hallucinate small animals. Throw in her post-rehab brother, her angry mother, a bunch of ghosts, a missing
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best friend, and some real animals and you have Unlikely Animals by Annie Harnett. Yes —it’s as kooky as it sounds but in a great way. Harnett manages all of the chaos with humor, excellent writing, and a variety of well-hewn characters, and ends up with a sweet story about family and friendship. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member Shookie
I was initially attracted to Unlikely Animals because of the animal/human relationships described. There was the "long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes, once known for letting wild animals live in his house." - what fun! Then Clive Starling (great name) began hallucinating small animals as
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well as seeing the ghost of the naturalist. It was when I realized who the narrators, or commentators, or the novel were that I knew this was a book for me. The narrators are the souls residing at the Maple Street Cemetery and they are an insightful, witty group. "We were all glad we weren't cremated. There's too much walking involved, with no final resting place." The novel is not all fun and whimsy, though. It deals with real life problems such as the opioid crisis, people slowly dying and people who are lost, both literally and figuratively. The wonderful juxtaposition of sober matters and the absurdist makes this novel a huge success in my eyes. Many thanks to NetGalley, Ms. Hartnett and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy. Show Less
LibraryThing member nbmars
This very quirky story is told in part by a Greek chorus of the dead speaking from the Maple Street Cemetery in Everton, New Hampshire. They are very invested with those still living in the town, even though they are forbidden from interfering, according to the shadowy rules of being
Protagonist Emma Starling, 22, has just returned from allegedly being in medical school in California (she dropped out) because her father Clive is dying from a brain disease. Besides periodic lapses in memory, Clive sees and interacts with hallucinations pretty regularly. His doctor said, as the cemetery group reported, “he couldn’t be sure exactly what the disease. Was until an autopsy, which was definitely out of the question as long as Clive remained alive…”
Emma had been encouraged to go to medical school because she was thought to have the “charm” - to be a natural-born healer. She hasn’t seen her family in two years. She explained that “the healing touch had gone wonky.” Then it seemed to have left her altogether.
Upon returning home, she discovered that her father was obsessively involved in trying to find Emma’s best friend from high school, Crystal Nash, who had been missing for several months. Most of the town assumed she was dead from the opioid addiction crisis ravaging the town. But Clive wouldn’t give up, and when Emma came home, she joined his pursuit.
Clive was also being advised by one of the ghosts who communicated with him, Ernest Harold Baynes, who went by Harold. Harold, who died in 1925, had once (in real life) been the official naturalist of Everton’s Corbin Park. Periodic excerpts from his books, “repurposed” by the author according to her Afterword, punctuate the narrative as well.
Emma settles in, getting a job as a substitute teacher for the fifth grade class at the local elementary school. The full-time teacher had left after her husband was accused of being in charge of a drug ring, dealing to students, inter alia. (One of those he allegedly dealt to was Emma’s younger brother Auggie, who got addicted to pain killers after a football accident in school. Auggie was now struggling with addition recovery.)
As the plot develops, we learn of Emma’s struggles with her “destiny” as a “natural-born healer”; her parents struggles with their marriage and with sanity; Emma’s guilt over Crystal; and the need for all of the characters not just of healing, but of hope.
Evaluation: Despite dysfunction on all kinds of levels, the characters in this book are lovable, and the plot unique enough to sustain interest and even wonder.
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dead.Protagonist Emma Starling, 22, has just returned from allegedly being in medical school in California (she dropped out) because her father Clive is dying from a brain disease. Besides periodic lapses in memory, Clive sees and interacts with hallucinations pretty regularly. His doctor said, as the cemetery group reported, “he couldn’t be sure exactly what the disease. Was until an autopsy, which was definitely out of the question as long as Clive remained alive…”
Emma had been encouraged to go to medical school because she was thought to have the “charm” - to be a natural-born healer. She hasn’t seen her family in two years. She explained that “the healing touch had gone wonky.” Then it seemed to have left her altogether.
Upon returning home, she discovered that her father was obsessively involved in trying to find Emma’s best friend from high school, Crystal Nash, who had been missing for several months. Most of the town assumed she was dead from the opioid addiction crisis ravaging the town. But Clive wouldn’t give up, and when Emma came home, she joined his pursuit.
Clive was also being advised by one of the ghosts who communicated with him, Ernest Harold Baynes, who went by Harold. Harold, who died in 1925, had once (in real life) been the official naturalist of Everton’s Corbin Park. Periodic excerpts from his books, “repurposed” by the author according to her Afterword, punctuate the narrative as well.
Emma settles in, getting a job as a substitute teacher for the fifth grade class at the local elementary school. The full-time teacher had left after her husband was accused of being in charge of a drug ring, dealing to students, inter alia. (One of those he allegedly dealt to was Emma’s younger brother Auggie, who got addicted to pain killers after a football accident in school. Auggie was now struggling with addition recovery.)
As the plot develops, we learn of Emma’s struggles with her “destiny” as a “natural-born healer”; her parents struggles with their marriage and with sanity; Emma’s guilt over Crystal; and the need for all of the characters not just of healing, but of hope.
Evaluation: Despite dysfunction on all kinds of levels, the characters in this book are lovable, and the plot unique enough to sustain interest and even wonder.
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LibraryThing member tamidale
This book is a gem! Readers looking for a light-hearted, wholesome good time with a bit of magical realism, will love this book. Those who have dealt with any kind of dementia will appreciate how the characters showed such compassion towards the person who was suffering, trying to make his final
Emma, a young woman returning home to New Hampshire after an unsuccessful venture at medical school, feels like a failure. She once had the gift of healing touch, but it has gone away and she knows her family will be expecting her to heal her ailing father. She does just that, but not in the way many expected.
With one of her childhood friends missing and a brother who is recovering from substance abuse, Emma becomes instrumental in changing each situation in some way. She also gets a job as a long-term substitute teacher and touches the lives of the children, just as they touch hers.
Throughout the story animals play a starring role. Set against the backdrop of a large nature preserve, readers are privy to tales of foxes, bears, birds, and of course, the ever-faithful dog.
I loved reading about Rasputin and Moses and how they protected the one that needed it most. And last but certainly not least, I loved the narrators from the local cemetery.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give it my honest review.
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days worthwhile.Emma, a young woman returning home to New Hampshire after an unsuccessful venture at medical school, feels like a failure. She once had the gift of healing touch, but it has gone away and she knows her family will be expecting her to heal her ailing father. She does just that, but not in the way many expected.
With one of her childhood friends missing and a brother who is recovering from substance abuse, Emma becomes instrumental in changing each situation in some way. She also gets a job as a long-term substitute teacher and touches the lives of the children, just as they touch hers.
Throughout the story animals play a starring role. Set against the backdrop of a large nature preserve, readers are privy to tales of foxes, bears, birds, and of course, the ever-faithful dog.
I loved reading about Rasputin and Moses and how they protected the one that needed it most. And last but certainly not least, I loved the narrators from the local cemetery.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give it my honest review.
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LibraryThing member wvteddy
How to describe this book? It is described as tragicomic and it is that. The overall premise of a young woman returning home to care for her father who has a mysterious brain illness is tragic but there are many parts like the school play that are ROFL. The book also has great characters both dead
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and alive, family drama, new beginnings, old friends, a mystery, history, and the ever-present opioid crisis. Emma Starling was born with charismata iamaton, supposedly able to heal with the touch of her hands. So with that and the ghosts talking from the Maple Street Cemetery the book has an undercurrent of spiritualism. Everton, NH is a town in the throes of the opioid epidemic as represented by Emma's brother who has been in and out of rehab for years. The book is a mystery about Emma's childhood friend who is missing and everyone but Clive presumes dead likely from drugs. It is a story about new beginnings as Emma, med school dropout, finds her true calling at home. And then there are the unlikely animals. Clive Starling's illness causes him to see things like cats and rabbits and rats. Emma finds a stray dog on her drive home, names him Moses and brings him home. And then there is Rasputin the Russian fox. I found this interesting because I recently read the book How To Tame A Fox And Build A Dog by Dugatkin and Trut about the Russian program that tamed foxes, and they did indeed sell them as pets. We also have historical elements in Clive's friend, the ghost of Ernest Harold Baynes, a naturalist in the area who had wild animals living in his home. He and Corbin Park are true elements of this story. This wasn't a edge-of-your-seat book that I couldn't put down, but it was a book I was always happy to return to. It made me think and it made me laugh. I am so glad NetGalley and the publisher gave me the chance to read and review this book. I probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise, and I am so very glad I did. I loved it! Show Less
LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy
This book is just delightful! Emma Starling has returned home to NH from California where she didn't attend medical school like her family thought. She's come home to care for for her father, Clive Starling who has a brain disease and is hallucinating small animals as well as the ghost of a long
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dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes. When Emma gets home, she's shocked to find that her former best friend is missing and no one is looking for her except for her father. I definitely look forward to reading Annie Hartnett's first book, Rabbit Cake! Show Less
LibraryThing member Beamis12
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
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 !sighs.
A graveyard full of the dead who see all
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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 !sighs.
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LibraryThing member kimkimkim
When I started reading “Unlikely Animals” I thought Annie Hartnett was channeling Fannie Flagg. It all sounded sort of familiar and took me back to Elwood Springs, Missouri and “The Whole World’s Talking”. Hartnett like Flagg also infused portions of the books with that down home charm
In “Unlikely Animals” the use of humor helps to lighten the sorry story of Professor Clive Starling who has stated seeing small animals in his classroom. It is a distraction and while entertaining it leads to his forced retirement. This is where the story picks up steam and falls apart but in a funny, sad, cruel, introspective way. It is a tribute to Hartnett that she is able to infuse humor, love and forgiveness while exploring a serious disease, imminent death and loss.
Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this sad, charming, humorous story.
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and “aw shucks” kind of feeling. Flagg and Hartnett use the residents of their respective cemeteries to give us insight into the behavior of the local residents and goings on which may not be known to most. The conversations of the omniscient members of the Maple Street Cemetery in Everton, NH is a clever and useful device which lightens a somber story.In “Unlikely Animals” the use of humor helps to lighten the sorry story of Professor Clive Starling who has stated seeing small animals in his classroom. It is a distraction and while entertaining it leads to his forced retirement. This is where the story picks up steam and falls apart but in a funny, sad, cruel, introspective way. It is a tribute to Hartnett that she is able to infuse humor, love and forgiveness while exploring a serious disease, imminent death and loss.
Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this sad, charming, humorous story.
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LibraryThing member BoundTogetherForGood
I knew nothing about this book when I began reading it. I think it was noted as being a funny book, and that was why I chose it. I guess there are funny parts to it, but I don't think that is the way I would describe it.
There is a sort of epilogue at the end of the book which describes how the book
There was another really annoying aspect to this book. I only recall the use of one semicolon throughout the book. Why did I begin looking for semicolons as I read? I was looking for semicolons because the author used a comma in every situation but one that called for a semicolon, I think. I found it really discombobulating to read it without the proper punctuation.
There is a sort of epilogue at the end of the book which describes how the book
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came into being. Reading that answered some big questions I had, such as why there were ghosts in the story. The author created boundaries and traits for the ghosts that seemed rather arbitrary and confusing to me. With a bit more work, I think the book would have flowed better and made a whole lot more sense. After reading the epilogue, I liked the idea of the book much more, and I have therefore given it a higher rating than I would have otherwise. I wonder if I would have appreciated the book more if I had read the epilogue first...There was another really annoying aspect to this book. I only recall the use of one semicolon throughout the book. Why did I begin looking for semicolons as I read? I was looking for semicolons because the author used a comma in every situation but one that called for a semicolon, I think. I found it really discombobulating to read it without the proper punctuation.
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LibraryThing member srms.reads
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
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
Show More
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.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
This is a very quirky novel featuring a Greek chorus based in a small New Hampshire graveyard, in the manner of Our Town. Within the town boundaries of fictional Everton is a real wild game park patronized only by the wealthiest citizens and mostly ignored by the locals, who have no access but must
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be wary of the occasional wild boar invading their gardens. Home from a non-starter stint at medical school in California, morose Emma slinks home to find her father Clive in the throes of memory loss, her mother Ingrid moving out of their home to cohabitate with the local doctor, and her brother Auggie recovering from his heroin addiction. Emma's best friend Crystal has disappeared, and Clive is obsessed with finding her. Emma becomes a substitute teacher and is invigorated by her fifth grade students, who are still suffering from the jailing of their teacher for drug distribution. Those who are buried in the local cemetery observe and comment on the goings-on (but not those who had been cremated - their consciousness is too dispersed). The nature and necessity of best friendhood is a major theme, and there's much gentle humor here as well as some true facts. Show Less
LibraryThing member streamsong
At the time Emma Starling was born, the midwife noted that she had a natural gift of healing. And while it wasn’t strong when she was a child, her family forbade her to use it until she was of age. Emma, bright, beautiful at the top of her high school class, determined to go to med school and was
Instead she returned home, feeling foolish and also without her healing power.
She found her father Clive was in the throes of a brain ailment. He had been fired from his professorship after making a scene about invisible cats in his classroom. He’s slowly been ousted from the band he loves and common tasks are becoming problematic. He spends his days in the company of the ghost of local naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes. Baynes, during his lifetime established a huge local wildlife preserve, filled with all manners of exotic beasts and extant to this day,. Clive also spends his days papering and repapering the town with missing posters for Emma’s vanished high school best friend.
Emma’s brother had a high school sports injury and is now a recovering addict. Drugs are a major problem in the town. The police believe that Emma’s missing friend is one more victim of the epidemic.
Emma takes over the guardianship of her father, and also assumes a job as the semipermanent substitute teacher for a class of problematic kids whose former teacher is also mixed up with the town’s drug problem.
In the background there is a chorus of ghosts, sitting on their tombstones, much like the graveyard in Our Town and commenting on the happenings of the town.
There is a lot going on in this novel – family expectations, ghosts, ghost animals, miraculous healings (this thread just frittered out - why?), the drug epidemic, caring for loved ones with dementia and young women going missing. Perhaps there were too many elements for me as I just never quite became invested in the many threads of the story, although I did like the upbeat ending.
One sentence review: [Demon Copperhead] meets [[Our Town]] along with historical photographs of the real naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes.
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accepted, but never attended.Instead she returned home, feeling foolish and also without her healing power.
She found her father Clive was in the throes of a brain ailment. He had been fired from his professorship after making a scene about invisible cats in his classroom. He’s slowly been ousted from the band he loves and common tasks are becoming problematic. He spends his days in the company of the ghost of local naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes. Baynes, during his lifetime established a huge local wildlife preserve, filled with all manners of exotic beasts and extant to this day,. Clive also spends his days papering and repapering the town with missing posters for Emma’s vanished high school best friend.
Emma’s brother had a high school sports injury and is now a recovering addict. Drugs are a major problem in the town. The police believe that Emma’s missing friend is one more victim of the epidemic.
Emma takes over the guardianship of her father, and also assumes a job as the semipermanent substitute teacher for a class of problematic kids whose former teacher is also mixed up with the town’s drug problem.
In the background there is a chorus of ghosts, sitting on their tombstones, much like the graveyard in Our Town and commenting on the happenings of the town.
There is a lot going on in this novel – family expectations, ghosts, ghost animals, miraculous healings (this thread just frittered out - why?), the drug epidemic, caring for loved ones with dementia and young women going missing. Perhaps there were too many elements for me as I just never quite became invested in the many threads of the story, although I did like the upbeat ending.
One sentence review: [Demon Copperhead] meets [[Our Town]] along with historical photographs of the real naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes.
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Awards
RUSA CODES Listen List (Selection — 2023)
Pages
368
ISBN
0593160223 / 9780593160220