Lottie collects dead creatures and lovingly cares for them, hoping to preserve them, to save them from disintegration. Her father understands—Lottie has a scientific mind, he thinks. Her aunt wants it to stop, and she goes to cruel lengths to make sure it does.
And her mother? Lottie’s mother died long ago. And Lottie is searching for a way to be close to her.
The Art of Taxidermy is a heartbreaking verse novel exploring love and death, grief and beauty, and the ways we try to make sense of it all.
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
This is such a strange, but beautiful little book.
It is written in verse, so it reads really quickly, and the format really contributes to the whimsical atmosphere. Lottie the main character is fascinated by dead animals and longs to stuff them (taxidermy). The potency of her grief was palpable and I really sympathized for her. Also, this book unexpectedly deals with WWII, and the repercussions of the time period. Specifically, the immigration of a german family to Australia, and the backlash and stigma against them they face as germans during WWII. This book really surprised my in every way and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a sad, but also beautiful book.
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