Measured tone, but suitable.
I know the reception is kind of mixed about this novel, but I did enjoy listening. In many ways, Verble's narration is an outlier in the field of modern fiction -- she takes a very measured tone that feels practical and straightforward, almost simplistically so, yet it's a perfect fit for her practical and straightforward protagonist, Two Feathers, and buries subtle implications underneath.
I think the narration was refreshing among the throngs of flowery prose novels out there buried in metaphor, and it truly lended itself to Two Feathers. The story could have very well been skewed in tone towards either a comedic romp through a circus or a creeping ghostly mystery, both more commercially attractive options, and yet Verble took the bold choice and walked a tightrope between, staying true to her protagonist.
Regardless, I do absolutely see how it could be viewed as a slog of a novel. I think if I wasn't listening on audio at a ridiculously inflated speed (3x, by the end of it), I probably would have set this down. It seems like a story that is hard to grab readers in print form, and it does lack a more specific atmosphere that a lot of readers enjoy.
Nonetheless, mysterious things are happening at the Glendale Park Zoo . . .
Content Warnings:[use of the n-word, racism, death of a beloved horse and other animals, stalkers, genocide and blasé attitudes towards genocide, murder]
Thanks to libro.fm for the complimentary audiobook! Caroline Slaughter's narration was well suited to the protagonist. I listened on 1.7x speed initially, soon bumped it up to 2x and then 2.5x, and then for the last 3 hours bumped it up to 3x speed.
I think the narration was refreshing among the throngs of flowery prose novels out there buried in metaphor, and it truly lended itself to Two Feathers. The story could have very well been skewed in tone towards either a comedic romp through a circus or a creeping ghostly mystery, both more commercially attractive options, and yet Verble took the bold choice and walked a tightrope between, staying true to her protagonist.
Regardless, I do absolutely see how it could be viewed as a slog of a novel. I think if I wasn't listening on audio at a ridiculously inflated speed (3x, by the end of it), I probably would have set this down. It seems like a story that is hard to grab readers in print form, and it does lack a more specific atmosphere that a lot of readers enjoy.
Nonetheless, mysterious things are happening at the Glendale Park Zoo . . .
Content Warnings:[use of the n-word, racism, death of a beloved horse and other animals, stalkers, genocide and blasé attitudes towards genocide, murder]
Thanks to libro.fm for the complimentary audiobook! Caroline Slaughter's narration was well suited to the protagonist. I listened on 1.7x speed initially, soon bumped it up to 2x and then 2.5x, and then for the last 3 hours bumped it up to 3x speed.