Animal

A Novel

By: Lisa Taddeo

Narrated by: Emma Roberts

Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

From Lisa Taddeo, author of the number one New York Times best seller and global phenomenon Three Women, comes an “intoxicating” (Entertainment Weekly), “fearless” (Los Angeles Times), and “explosive” (People) novel about “what happens when women are pushed beyond the brink, and what comes after the reckoning” (Esquire).

Joan has spent a lifetime enduring the cruelties of men. But when one of them commits a shocking act of violence in front of her, she flees New York City in search of Alice, the only person alive who can help her make sense of her past. In the sweltering hills above Los Angeles, Joan unravels the horrific event she witnessed as a child - that has haunted her every waking moment - while forging the power to finally strike back.

Animal is a depiction of female rage at its rawest, and a visceral exploration of the fallout from a male-dominated society.

©2021 Woolloomooloo, LLC. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Warning super dark!

This book is incredible. The writing is gorgeous and I loved Emma Roberts of a reader. There is some shockingly dark stuff so it’s not for everyone but really the writing was so nice I didn’t mind too much.

Very literary debauchery

3.8/5 “I am depraved. I am curious.” From the jump, an interesting macabre read about a different kind of cold femme fatal. Told in 2nd person retrospective w/ the smarminess of Gone Girl, this is about a girl who wants to seize the power of old men who she likes but has no sexual attraction to, including her wealthy married boss. Her coy girlishness gets in the way but she keeps shedding her skin to be rid of it, so to speak. She has the seductiveness of Hannibal Lecter: I mean it, the dangerous intellect is sexy! Yet it’s a bit jagged in its stream-of-consciousness and over abundance of unique but pretty setting descriptions.

This book is always interesting due to its constant unique phrasings, ex. “dollars that felt like last breaths.” Then, its thread of redacted backstory. Pronouns are perpetually vague and call-backs non-stop, lots of “she”s and “its” that make the subject implacable, could be interchangeable w/ many characters or scenes. This has nothing to do with gender, but the author assuming we already know so much that won’t happen until the end which is frustrating because it’s practically masturbatory in its taunting. Unless you read the book two or three times, you’ll probably be flummoxed by a fourth of it, an editor gravely needed. Sometimes, the voice sounds off, going from killer cold to campy/modern goof, as though a philosophical type were suddenly discussing Seinfeldian observations or mall kiosk culture.

Things are always ordered in backwards importance, giving mundane facts more poetic gravity. There are no punctuation marks or tagging to know who’s talking or even suddenly in the room. Perhaps this is noviceness or try-hard experimentalism to give an air of mystery, equal parts annoying and intriguing. I like how the MC alludes to having lived off of pawning rich lovers’ gifts, juxtaposed now lying low in a dusty desert shack. Very Lana Del Rey/May Jailer. There’s a lot to intentionally hate: the barrenness of California, the endless want of spoiled women, the tackiness of successful men. Her self-hatred is teenage yet sophisticated. Pace picks up a bit 1/4 through, where she meets her first goal, converses with self-assured eccentrics more: senile or could-be escorts.

There’s definitely some sex and small shocks but it’s very literary and not the point versus pontificating on confidence and giving grave advice to the nameless reader. I like how the wife of the man she affairs with keeps harassing her. Like many shots in the book, a notch turned to the right and they could turn pornographic. When we meet Alice, she is much like the MC, but they bring out the best (most engaging) in each other, scavenging for honesty in their humiliation and horrible thoughts.

I kept expecting family abuse but don’t really see any, just her overhearing inappropriate news for her age, for her consensually entering horrible, legal relationships. Which is fine but I don’t get all the hype language of official and casual reviewers that make this sound more like Gone Girl meets American Psycho when it only would be about 11% of that meshing.

Halfway through, there’re a couple hefty surprises with a trashy, slow unwrapping that subdues it a bit. A bit further, we finally get a literal taste of her childhood tragedy. Yet it’s written as factually or emotionally distanced as she is as an adult. I guess her life of extremes seems improbable in its constant jostling, but victims do often radiate pick-me vulnerability that puts them in/attracts cycles of white trash craziness. Plus, the flat tone smooths out the spikes. I feel a tad dumb for not getting the semi-obvious twist/point of 2nd person POV sooner though I was sniffing all around it the whole time. There is something about how ugly (Big Sky, River) and in-cohesive (John Ford, Vic) all the names in the book are (the good ones way too similar like Lenore and Eleanor) that I can never keep them straight, making for a doubly confusing read.

Ch 24 is absolutely nuts and unforgettable! It is morbidly fun to imagine yourself in such an impossible situation. Things hardly let up by the end yet are delivered even more coldly as though every hurt is meant to happen, the universe perfectly in sync with foil characters and losses. I am not surprised nor disappointed by most of what happened to her or her parents. The details somewhat and the last pages surprisingly as sweet as sorrowful yet maybe as sociopathic as the start.

Incredible story with a great narrator

Incredible story with a great narration. Moving to my favorites! Loved this book so much.

Edgy and thoroughly entertaining!

Looking for a good listen?! I looked forward to every session. I always listen twice. This is one I go back to when I need a good book
Great writing and narration.
Her book 3 Sisters is also very good.
Just get this book.

Fresh & Enticing

Love, the honesty of Lisa’s writing with Emma’s narration. This is the first book that kept me engaged in a long time.

Chapters

The chapter outline in audible didn’t match the chapters in actual audio content. This has happened with other audible purchases. It didn’t stop me from finishing but can get confusing. Just a note.

shocking and compelling

I forget who recommended this book to me but as a lover of thrillers it absolutely hit the spot despite not being outright horror. Joan is an incredible character to learn the ins and outs of. The commentary on being a young woman in this world will resonate with you if you’ve ever had to make it on your own with parents.

Surprising

I didn't expect much from this book but was surprisingly drawn in by the story. The author reveals things in pieces, which works perfectly. Of course, the protagonist (Joan) is highly unlikeable and self-destructive, which is the point. I don't need to cheer on or like a main character when I read/listen to a book. The ending will bother some, but I found it a perfect way to cap off this tale.

One unnecessary element was the overuse of vulgarity. Now, a well-placed F bomb does not bother me, but describing every sexual act as Fxxxing can be too much even for someone who isn't a prude about cussing. I can see the point of the author using vulgarity because it gives you insight into the character's self worth (lack thereof); however, the point can be made in other ways.

The narration was ok and it probably is appropriate to the story. I found the narrator's voice annoying, but that's just me (reminded me a bit too much of. a teenager's voice.) . She did a good job presenting the story and notice, I finished the book!!! Mission accomplished for her!

Love! SA, family, miscarriage TW

Loved this book! Only read it if you have the mindset to do so. SA trauma, Family trauma/neglect, and miscarriage trauma. Such a well rounded story. You'll cry when you get to the last chapter!!!

Dark,heavy,cruel,sad,angry,powerful with hope

It’s like a long letter from generations of angry women /crazy women to YOU-every new generation of women,about Rapes we’ve suffered silently and the other type of,we kind have dressed for it,it’s the patriarchy sociality which granted men all the power and choices,and women the duty to suffer, obey, sacrifice with gratitude.
It’s so suffocating,I wanna curl up and sob,and from time to time I felt physically sick of pain and despair,I really want to give Joan a hug,Also as in real life , female relationship saved all.