Reviews

Elmet by Fiona Mozley

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tania_1975's review against another edition

5.0

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of Elmet

This novel is so beautifully written. I totally got lost in the prose and descriptions. I thought it was a really original idea for a story. Mainly a family saga with elements of fairy tale, coming of age and a really brutal unexpected ending. This is a novel that will stay with me for a long time.

joe_dmh's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

tombennett72's review

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3.0

There is some beautiful writing in this book. But it’s odd, no two ways about it. I was broadly happy to go with that until the strange unravelling/leaps in plot in the last couple of chapters.

Enjoyed it at the time, wouldn’t read it again.

ellyj's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

jaimeogrady's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense slow-paced

4.0

callmethebees's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

5.0

angus_mckeogh's review against another edition

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2.0

A strange allegory of the feudal nature of land and land ownership in the modern British era. The first third creeps along at a stultifying pace. Then appears an ostensible family of squatters or misfits choosing to live off the grid. A seemingly disconnected episode that mirrors a chunk of the movie, Rocky IV, where Rocky is getting ready to fight the Soviet boxer. Then a block of gratuitous violence to end the book. Let’s just say it was alright but I was expecting more, certainly nothing amazing.

shellydennison's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Beautifully written but tends to the bleak. Packs a serious punch.

Content Warnings

lweezthereadrat's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

There is some lilting, immersive prose here that brings a rural home to life, its inhabitants operating in the shadows of society. The pacing was odd for me: I feel like the latter third races through and as a result the ending feels dissatisyingly open/insufficiently lingered on. Character dynamics of Daniel, Cathy and their father are very charming despite the human complications present.

annab802's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

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