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jazzy_dave) wrote2016-06-07 10:34 pm
jazzy_dave) wrote2016-06-07 10:34 pm
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Book 46 - Pasi Ilmari Jasskelainen "The Rabbit Back Literature Society"
Pasi Ilmari Jasskelainen "The Rabbit Back Literature Society" (Pushkin Press)
Rabbit Back is a town haunted by strange occurrences. Not the least of these is the mould or bacteria which attacks the books in the local library causing stories to change. This is also the home of Laura White, beloved children’s author and founder of The Rabbit Back Literature Society, a group whom she has mentored since their childhoods and who are now all well-known authors in their own right.
The Society has always had nine members until now. Although Ella has only authored a short story, she has been invited by Laura White to join. But on the night of her induction into the group, White vanishes from the party. Then Ella learns about The Game in which members challenge each other to answer very personal questions about themselves and The Group. Soon, Ella begins to use The Game to uncover the story behind White’s disappearance as well as the truth about a brilliant child, the original tenth member who the public has never heard of and who died under mysterious circumstances.
To say that The Rabbit Back Literature Society by Finnish author Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen is an odd story would be a gross understatement. I have read reviews comparing this book to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and, to be honest, I wish I’d thought of that on my own because it is definitely an apt comparison. Strange things happen; they may or may not be resolved; and they may or may not disappear from the tale. There is the question of the books; the strange something that may be lurking in a back garden that attracts all of the town’s dogs; the weird snowstorm in White’s house as well as her disappearance; and, of course, the original tenth member. This is not a murder mystery, a horror tale, or even a simple fantasy. The characters never seem horrified, shocked, or even surprised by all of these strange occurrences. Nothing is what it seems here… or maybe it is – there are no easy answers, no simple solutions or, in some cases, no solutions at all. The reader may be left scratching their head at the end wondering what the hell just happened and spend a great deal of time afterwards trying to piece together what it all means.
All of this is not to say that The Rabbit Back Literature Society is not worth the read – it definitely is and I would recommend it highly to those who don’t mind not being handed all the answers or not having everything wrapped up in a bright shiny bow at the end. But, if you do decide to read it, don’t be surprised if, at the end, you have a sudden craving for cherry pie or whatever the Finnish equivalent might be.
Rabbit Back is a town haunted by strange occurrences. Not the least of these is the mould or bacteria which attacks the books in the local library causing stories to change. This is also the home of Laura White, beloved children’s author and founder of The Rabbit Back Literature Society, a group whom she has mentored since their childhoods and who are now all well-known authors in their own right.
The Society has always had nine members until now. Although Ella has only authored a short story, she has been invited by Laura White to join. But on the night of her induction into the group, White vanishes from the party. Then Ella learns about The Game in which members challenge each other to answer very personal questions about themselves and The Group. Soon, Ella begins to use The Game to uncover the story behind White’s disappearance as well as the truth about a brilliant child, the original tenth member who the public has never heard of and who died under mysterious circumstances.
To say that The Rabbit Back Literature Society by Finnish author Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen is an odd story would be a gross understatement. I have read reviews comparing this book to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and, to be honest, I wish I’d thought of that on my own because it is definitely an apt comparison. Strange things happen; they may or may not be resolved; and they may or may not disappear from the tale. There is the question of the books; the strange something that may be lurking in a back garden that attracts all of the town’s dogs; the weird snowstorm in White’s house as well as her disappearance; and, of course, the original tenth member. This is not a murder mystery, a horror tale, or even a simple fantasy. The characters never seem horrified, shocked, or even surprised by all of these strange occurrences. Nothing is what it seems here… or maybe it is – there are no easy answers, no simple solutions or, in some cases, no solutions at all. The reader may be left scratching their head at the end wondering what the hell just happened and spend a great deal of time afterwards trying to piece together what it all means.
All of this is not to say that The Rabbit Back Literature Society is not worth the read – it definitely is and I would recommend it highly to those who don’t mind not being handed all the answers or not having everything wrapped up in a bright shiny bow at the end. But, if you do decide to read it, don’t be surprised if, at the end, you have a sudden craving for cherry pie or whatever the Finnish equivalent might be.
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Hugs, Jon
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