A review by lilacsandliterature
Animal by Lisa Taddeo

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Thank you to Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for the gifted advanced copy!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: this book is full of graphic descriptions of rape and miscarriage so please be warned 

Wow. This book is incredibly dark but equally as compelling and I couldn’t put it down until the last pages. It’s hard to express enjoying such dark subject matter but it was written in such a way that I can’t deny its power. The story of Joan, the daughter of parents who have made many decisions that will effect her life forever, is one that will stay with me for a while. Joan goes on a mission to find a woman she’s never met before but who changes the course of her life without even knowing she exists. Joan is an incredibly complex character who seems to let herself be treated poorly in order to punish her child self. 

This book could not be more graphic and disturbing but so well written. I recommend to fans of books like Luster and The Push.

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