The Art of Taxidermy

This book was chosen for a book club book and it's not something I would normally pick to read. However I really enjoyed it, it was easy to read and the words put pictures right into your head.

This was one that did not click with me as much as I was hoping. When I came across The Art of Taxidermy on NetGalley, the title and cover art immediately intrigued me. Then, when I saw that it was written in verse, I immediately hit the request button. Verse novels are my absolute favorite, so it’s a pretty guaranteed way to get me to read your book.Sharon Kernot really is a great poet. Her words are beautiful and flow together so well, creating excellent imagery and emotion. The way she manages to explore the topic of grief in this novel was incredible. Lottie deals with the death of her mother in an honest and heartbreaking way that I was able to relate to after the loss of my nana.One thing that bothered me about this story though was I didn’t understand why it was being told. Yes, the words were beautiful, but I needed more of a driving force behind them. Lottie’s story was incredibly interesting with her fascination with dead animals and the desire to preserve them, but there didn’t seem to be a reason as to why Kernot decided to share it with us. This missing piece caused me to have an overall feeling of boredom throughout the time it took me to read the book. A lot of the poems also felt repetitious after a while.I am glad that I took the time to read The Art of Taxidermy, and I definitely recommend it to anyone that enjoys novels in verse or the macabre. I was so glad to see that Lottie stayed true to who she was throughout the novel despite her aunt’s best efforts. This is a very unique story, and I know the subject matter won’t jive with everybody, but it was nice to see something out there for those of us that like things others find abnormal or gross. I’m definitely interested in reading more by Sharon Kernot, and I truly hope she continues to write poetry.A digital ARC was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sharon Kernot, and Text Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.Two things drew me to request this novel: the fact that it is written in a poetic format, and my own odd interest in taxidermy. When I taught 8th grade, one of the stories taught in the short story unit is Roald Dahl's "The Landlady," a creepy story in which the Landlady of a bed and breakfast keeps her guests...forever! It's a fun creepy tale that introduces students to taxidermy, and they love it.The Art of Taxidermy doesn't have the same creepy feel, but more a childhood curiosity into keeping animals after death. After Lottie's mother dies, the little girl has a strange fascination with death. She collects dead animals, takes pictures of death things, and writes poems about death. She is living in Australia, but her family is from Germany, which already makes her more of an outcast, so why not collect dead creatures on top of that?Lottie's aunt does not approve of this hobby, and even goes so far as to throw away or burn Lottie's collection, saying it's not normal, especially for a young girl. When Lotie's aunt tries to coax her into thinking of a career in nursing, Lottie denies any interest. She wants to do one thing and one thing only when she grows up: be a taxidermist at the local museum. After getting a chance to learn and practice with the museum taxidermist, she knows that's what is right for her, and her father supports her interest. Who cares if a boy would never want to marry a girl who stuffs dead things? Lottie knows who she is and what she wants to do, and her father will support that.I love the message of this book. Death can be made beautiful in an artistic way. Also, encouraging youth to follow what they are interested in, rather than telling them they shouldn't be interested in this or that, is one of the reasons why I am a teacher. To foster every young person and help them find their interest, no matter where that interest may lay (as long as they aren't putting themselves or others in danger, of course). I love books written in a poetic style. They are a quick read and always quite enjoyable as to how they are structured. While the poetic verse of Ellen Hopkins will (probably) always be my favorite, Sharon Kernot has a beautiful way of presenting a tale through imagery in poetic verse, and I would love to see something like this from this author in future!

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *3 1/2 stars. This entire story is written in a prose style via a series of poems. All of the poems are written in first person from the point of view of Charlotte (Lottie), the preteen narrator. It's a rather imaginative way to write a book and I have to say that it actually works pretty well. I enjoyed the style and the writing. It felt comfortable and appropriate for the character.There was a keen sense of mystery surrounding some of the bits and pieces of the story, which came to light through the pages a little bit at a time. It is rather cleverly done and I enjoyed the movement of the story.My only issue with this one (as tends to be my downfall on many an occasion) was the ending. I left the story feeling unfulfilled. This isn't to say that the ending is a bad one. It wraps up in a way that makes sense given the previous pieces of narrative. I just couldn't get myself settled with it. Perhaps that is some of the intention, but I didn't like the uncomfortable way leaving it made me feel.