The Monsters of Templeton, by Lauren Groff
I borrowed this book from my friend Janelle, who recommended it once she knew I enjoyed Groff’s other more recent book, Fates & Furies. Borrowing books is the way to go! I have so many floating around out there, I’ve lost track, but as long as others are enjoying them, I am happy! The Monsters of Templeton is another great novel by Groff, full of family history and a little bit of magic and a whole lot of mystery. There is also some history sprinkled in there, but a lot of that is embellished (which Groff admits to up front in the forward of the book). A great read with wonderful imagery!
I just finished Fates & Furies – and loved it – so I’ll have to check this out.
I read The Taxidermist’s Daughter over break and I think you’d appreciate it. I’m a little unsure about how I feel about the plot line itself but the story and descriptions of place were really moving. I swear, I get the BEST books at Waterloo station on the run.
Really? You liked Fates and Furies? I’ve been an avid fan of Groff’s since her early years and literally read every single thing she’s published. She’s the author of my possibly all time favorite short story, and an all around original author, but I HATED F&F, with a passion unrivaled by a thousand suns! I’m the only one though, from book reviewers to other readers. If you explain to me its appeal, please I will whole-heartedly recommend “Arcadia” to you. It’s awesome-sauce. Love, disgruntled fellow book-lover…
Ha, ha, oh, Milla!
I actually thought I didn’t like Fates & Furies at first because I despised the character Lotto (and thus, the entire first half of the book since it was telling his story and his version of things, sometimes from his point of view), but once I hit the second half, Mathilde’s half, I felt like the entire thing was flipped on its head. I realized the simple change of perspective was everything, and without giving too much away, I felt that I got to the root of things in their relationship once I had Mathilde’s perspective. I also really like how unlikeable both characters were at points; we all have our dark sides and nothing is all wonderful and rosy at all times. They are flawed, that is what I liked, I think.
I’m stealing this quote from someone else’s review of the book, but it holds the essence of what I loved about Fates & Furies:
“Marriage is made of lies; kind ones, mostly. Omissions. If you give voice to the things you think every day about your spouse, you’d crush them to paste. She never lied, just never said.”
Not so much in the specifics of deceiving your significant other or thinking poorly of him or her, but in that there is so much we will never know about our spouses or partners, or anyone for that matter, merely because we are not them, not inside their minds. I love that we got two such completely different perspectives in such a well-written book.
Ah, that’s about it! 🙂 Go re-read it, Milla.