Mysterious, feral, abstract 

 

🇺🇸 Set mostly in Atlanta, Georgia and New Orleans, Lousiana in 2004 and 2019. 

POV: We follow a teen navigating their crush on a best friend in 2019. We also get a peek into the past via the experience of the teen's parents in 2004 and present day 2019. 

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🐺Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags🐕 

😃 Atmospheric and in their heads writing style that didn't feel bogged down. 

 

🤔 The synopsis sounded a bit out of my league (I don’t like in your face symbolism), but it was excellent. The symbolism started off subtle and gradually got louder but remained plausible as the story progressed and characters evolved. I didn't always understand what it was trying to say or show, but it didn't take away from the story for me. Probably a great book club read. 

👍 I think the story covers how mental illness, especially in women, is treated in modern times in a relatable way. Very show not tell - like how loved ones really do want you to get better, but have their own complications to add (don't just pop pills you just need to relax. Or just pop pills and be cured).  

🥹 I found the experiences of the characters relatable for anyone who is sensitive or intuitive and has been accused of being too emotional or too sensitive. Like feeling lost or alien in your own body and mind and feeling feral sometimes. 

🤷‍♀️ This is a story I think many could still identify with and enjoy. It doesn't rely on misandry or man = bad tropes. In some cases men were stifled in their coping skills because of patriarchal systems and beliefs growing up that denied them a chance to be themselves and gain confidence. In other cases, men are beasts and predators, but the distinction is made, along with how that affects girls and young women. 
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Mood Reading Match Up: 

 

Content Heads-Up: Mental illness (hallucination). Misogyny (systemic, medicine and psychiatry). Parental rejection. Medical (hospice, cancer). Death of a parent. Loss of a teen. Body horror (murder, dismembering, disfiguring). Natural disasters (Hurricane Katrina recollection and aftermath). Lesbian rep (homophobic characters and supportive ones). 

 

Format: Hardcover