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Lark Benobi's Reviews > Motherthing
Motherthing
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Enjoying this book requires you to imagine that a spite-suicide can be an excellent foundation for a comic romp. I was there for it. I was hooked from the first clause of the first sentence, that being: "The night Ralph's mother flayed her forearms...". This book is incredibly funny to me and I need to admit it even though I'm slightly ashamed to admit it. Only slightly. What can I say to excuse myself? Well, there's the writing, which is delightful. The sentences made me laugh. The sentences zing. I was embarrassed to be laughing at this story which is really very shocking in many ways, but I was laughing. I was snorting, actually. You may need to be in a certain mood for this book, I admit. But it may put you in that mood before you know it. It's consistently written in a manic hysterical sometimes-schizophrenic voice that takes no prisoners. I wish I'd written it. Ainslie Hogarth is the master of first sentences, and the god of surprising verbs.
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Motherthing.
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Reading Progress
May 26, 2022
–
Started Reading
May 30, 2022
– Shelved
May 30, 2022
– Shelved as:
2022
May 30, 2022
– Shelved as:
a-new-way-of-reading
May 30, 2022
– Shelved as:
books-that-make-me-laugh
May 30, 2022
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-14 of 14 (14 new)
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Royce
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rated it 4 stars
May 30, 2022 04:19PM
Sounds intriguing!
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Royce wrote: "Sounds intriguing!"There is a special place in my heart for comic horror. This hit the sweet spot!
Oops. You must have an ARC.
Laura wrote: "Oops. You must have an ARC."I'm so bad at saying "I read this in ARC" in my reviews. I'm sorry. Some ARC reviewers have told me it's against the law not to mention it but I keep on being the scofflaw.
What other comment threads have I read that contained the word "scofflaw"? That would be none. A word that is used too seldom. Scofflaws and renegades in our group here! ;-)
Zoeytron wrote: "What other comment threads have I read that contained the word "scofflaw"? That would be none. A word that is used too seldom. Scofflaws and renegades in our group here! ;-)"It's a surprisingly useful word, in some circles
Lark I loved this book as much as you! Thanks for your review, which led me to this book and Ainslie Hogarth’s writing!😁
Yay! I admire the way Hogarth wrote something so macabre and so funny at the same time. that is a rare skill! 😀
I wish I'd written it, too. I dashed to the Place That Must Not Be Named to order her other two books.
I'm reading this now and am surprised how much I'm chuckling at this very dark subject matter.
Couldn't get past the first few pages.
Cherise wrote: "Couldn't get past the first few pages."It's definitely one you need to put into the "funny" category or it's too terrible. I can't think "funny", myself, with Otessa Moshfegh's novels, which seem to hit a similar tone, but this one hit just right for me, for some reason.
Thank you for satinf it's funny! I thought I was crazy.
