The Rabbit's Paw Book Reviews

  "Everything gets fixed, but we all stay broken."  This novel is thought-provoking, memorable, and beautifully written.  Twist is written in the style of a memoir, from the point of view of a writer who is going through some rough times in his personal life. In this narrative, Anthony Fennell is working as a free lance journalist, joining a crew at sea, repairing underwater cables that ensure Internet usage for large portions of the world. There is a strong metaphor running through this story about how this long trip helps Fennell to repair himself, as he watches the crew repair deeply buried cables. Before and during this voyage, Fennell develops an interesting relationship with the man in charge of the exhibition, John Conway. This man is at the heart of this story, an enigma who keeps Fennell focused outside of himself and searching for answers to the mystery of Conway's identity and motives.  One aspect I found fascinating about this story was free diving, and t...

 Finding Grace, by Loretta Rothschild, is a gripping debut novel that features some surprises. The story starts quickly, with an unexpected and tragic event.  Without spoiling the novel for future readers, I found the plot of this story original and complicated, not a typical love story at all. The character development is mostly adequate, though I still had some questions about Grace in the end. Also, there was one female character who I found to be comically ridiculous and strangely out of step with the others. The twisty plot and ending do have some extremely unlikely aspects, but it was a very interesting, enjoyable read that was creatively narrated.  I did enjoy this and would recommend it. It crossed my mind that it might make an intriguing movie.  Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book's description as a cross between The Virgin Suicides and The Crucible was a strong selling point for me. This fantastical  novel takes place in eighteenth century England.  The Hounding has a riveting plot that keeps the reader guessing. Told from different points of view, it illustrates how the local villagers view the five Mansfield sisters and what they believe to be true about these girls. This story also shines a light on how young women were viewed at that time and the way information and rumors spread within a small area.  Some of these villagers are well drawn, as characters, while the Mansfield girls never are. They remain mysterious, which forces the reader to get involved in the speculation about what is actually true, and what might be going on.  I found this novel to be well written, paced perfectly, and intriguing. Its haunting atmosphere is especially memorable, and I'd gladly read this author's work again. I'd recommend it to anyone, and wou...

  The Antidote , by Karen Russell, is a memorable historical novel with elements of mystery and magical realism. It takes place in the fictional farming town of Uz, Nebraska, during The Great Depression.  The characters in this story are richly drawn, with backstories that are well developed and intriguing. We meet a woman known as The Antidote, a prairie witch with the power to act as a repository for unwanted and burdensome memories for her clients, a local farmer who is mystified by something going on at his farm, his niece, who is an orphan and basketball star, a government photographer who might have found a haunted camera, and a bewildered scarecrow. There are more, but these are the main characters. The sheriff is also important, and there’s also a poor young man wrongly accused of murder, and a certain cat, but I shouldn’t let this review get out of hand.  Along with its riveting plot, this story is also a bit of a history lesson and makes statements that are alwa...

This is a beautifully written first novel. The way this author explores relationships and emotions in this story is exceptional. The narrative focuses on the bond between two girls in a family, Genevieve and Arin, from its unusual and intense beginnings into its tortured and anguished future. The main protagonist is Genevieve, who starts life as the only child of hard-working parents, both with complex and tough backgrounds. They are living with Genevieve’s paternal grandmother in a modest apartment. Then one day, Arin comes into their lives, a child relation of theirs who was unknown to them beforehand. Arin and Genevieve form a strong sister bond, both determined to do their best in school to achieve academic success in the competitive small country of Singapore. However, their futures unfold in ways neither of them had predicted, and the differences in their personalities and the ways they each work toward success lead to a serious rift between them. Arin, who was abandoned by her f...

This story follows the life of David Winn, an English boy living with his single mother, a gifted dressmaker. Dave has never met his Burmese father or been to Burma, but the fact that he is half Burmese informs his life in various ways that are illustrated in Holinghurst’s beautifully nuanced story telling style. The main focus of this novel is Dave’s biracial appearance, and the effect this has on his life in English society through the years. The author follows Dave starting in his school years in the 1960s until the COVID pandemic. Hollinghurst expertly demonstrates, through conversation and events,  the backdrop that Dave must navigate to chase his dream of being a serious actor.  The author has also created a realistic cast of characters who influence and interact with David in this memorable, fictional biography. I felt very invested in this story, and missed some of the characters when it was over. This is not an action packed novel, but one more about emotions, beliefs...