Helpful Score: 3
Reviewed by LadyJay for TeensReadToo.com
Liga has been mistreated all of her life. Her father is a monster; preying upon her at night in the midst of his drunken stupors. Liga's mother is dead, and cannot protect her daughter from the wickedness in the world.
Because of this, Liga is made a mother too early. In an act of desperation, Liga decides to kill her first child, believing that she will be better off in another place. A magic "moon-babby" takes pity on Liga and offers her an alternate universe to raise her daughters.
For many years, Urdda, Branza, and Liga are safe; no one can do them harm. Eventually, the boundaries of their world are infiltrated, and the three women must leave their paradise. Their new task; to survive in a world full of both cruelty and kindness, something that Liga thought she would never have to face again.
The basis for TENDER MORSELS is the story of Snow White and Rose Red. Two sisters must battle a dwarf and rescue a man from a witch's curse. Lanagan has included these pivotal plot details while still making the story her own.
There are many interesting twists that Lanagan has included in the novel. Her use of vocabulary and language is also very unique. The story may appear daunting to readers at first, but those who give it a chance will be greatly rewarded.
Liga has been mistreated all of her life. Her father is a monster; preying upon her at night in the midst of his drunken stupors. Liga's mother is dead, and cannot protect her daughter from the wickedness in the world.
Because of this, Liga is made a mother too early. In an act of desperation, Liga decides to kill her first child, believing that she will be better off in another place. A magic "moon-babby" takes pity on Liga and offers her an alternate universe to raise her daughters.
For many years, Urdda, Branza, and Liga are safe; no one can do them harm. Eventually, the boundaries of their world are infiltrated, and the three women must leave their paradise. Their new task; to survive in a world full of both cruelty and kindness, something that Liga thought she would never have to face again.
The basis for TENDER MORSELS is the story of Snow White and Rose Red. Two sisters must battle a dwarf and rescue a man from a witch's curse. Lanagan has included these pivotal plot details while still making the story her own.
There are many interesting twists that Lanagan has included in the novel. Her use of vocabulary and language is also very unique. The story may appear daunting to readers at first, but those who give it a chance will be greatly rewarded.
Helpful Score: 2
I read this because Neil Gaiman recommended it, plus I've always been interested in the story of Snow White and Rose Red. This story is a very interesting view on womanhood and the roles women play in life.
Liga, the perfect Mother figure, creates a perfect world for herself and her daughters. White is the sweet, demure one, and Red is the wild inquisitive one. There is both the perfect mother represented as well as the scholarly woman and the ancient witch woman.
However, the over arching moral seems to say that nothing perfect can last, and despite a mother's best efforts, nothing she tries to do is right for her daughter's growing up. And she'll never find completion.
While everyone's stories are interesting and wind together in creative ways, I was overall unsatisfied with how the story ends. Liga, the character we start with, has an abrupt and unsatisfying ending. And many of the characters, even her daughters, seem to be secondary to her story.
Liga, the perfect Mother figure, creates a perfect world for herself and her daughters. White is the sweet, demure one, and Red is the wild inquisitive one. There is both the perfect mother represented as well as the scholarly woman and the ancient witch woman.
However, the over arching moral seems to say that nothing perfect can last, and despite a mother's best efforts, nothing she tries to do is right for her daughter's growing up. And she'll never find completion.
While everyone's stories are interesting and wind together in creative ways, I was overall unsatisfied with how the story ends. Liga, the character we start with, has an abrupt and unsatisfying ending. And many of the characters, even her daughters, seem to be secondary to her story.
Helpful Score: 1
Terrifying and amazing. Published as adult fiction in the author's home country, as young adult fiction in mine, and having fair warning about the story's graphic scenes I tried to keep my expectations pretty broad. Drawn from "The Ungrateful Dwarf" (the source material for the Grimm Brother's fairy tale "Snow White and Rose Red"), Lanagan explores pain and beauty, the misuse of magic, and living in a man's, man's world.
There were some places where I felt it dragged and I just wanted to hurry and get back to the characters that I liked better. Even still, the unique language and lyrical prose kept me enthralled, and I understood why those scenes were there overall.
Not an easy read, but an extremely worthwhile one. Before I was finished with it, I ordered a copy of the audiobook because I plan on spending time with this gem again.
There were some places where I felt it dragged and I just wanted to hurry and get back to the characters that I liked better. Even still, the unique language and lyrical prose kept me enthralled, and I understood why those scenes were there overall.
Not an easy read, but an extremely worthwhile one. Before I was finished with it, I ordered a copy of the audiobook because I plan on spending time with this gem again.