To celebrate the longlist for this year’s Dylan Thomas Prize (and the shortlist to be announced on Thursday 21st March), a bunch of book bloggers were asked very kindly if they fancied read one of the books on the longlist. One of them was me and it was a mystery which book I was going to get to read as I wanted it to be a surprise.
The Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize is an award gifted annually and is opened to published writers in the English language under the age of forty. Let me put the link to Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize here so you can read more details at your leisure.
Now, like I said earlier, it was surprise which book from the longlist I was going to get for review and, I will be honest, the title that was sent to me was one of titles I didn’t want. But, I knew whatever title I was going to receive, I was going to start reading that very day as I do always like a challenge and to try something new.
The book in question: The Glutton by A.K. Blakemore.
Publisher: Granta Books
Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by PR company, Midas Campaigns, in exchange for an honest review/reaction
Buy From (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org
Inspired by the French showman and solider Tarare (sometimes spelt Tarar) who lived from 1772 to 1798, we start the book with Sister Perpetue who is caring for a frail, dying man. A man who is once famed for having a ferocious appetite, the man who was once called the Great Tarare, The Glutton of Lyon. A man rumoured to have eaten a child.
As this man tells his story, we see him from his humble beginnings and, as unrest slowly begins to grip France, a violent act leaves Tarare left for dead and his hunger awaken…
The main reason why I was so hesitant over wanting to read this is because this feels very literary fiction, a genre that I sadly don’t get on with. I always like to try but reading The Glutton has sadly confirmed it for me and this might be my last outing in this genre.
Because literary fiction isn’t my go-to genre and this is historical fiction, a genre that can be very hit and miss with me, how did The Glutton feel with me?
It’s a bit of a mixed bag. While I found the idea of Tarare and his life really interesting, but I found the pace and the writing a tad slow and stilted. The story didn’t flow the way in the way I hoped and the writing, though at time beautiful and very flowery, did slow the plot down.
Now, I know this is a personal taste issue. Literary fiction doesn’t work for me so I can’t truly give you an honest review as this book had a huge fight on its hand to make me like it. But I know many people who really enjoyed this because of the writing, the characters and the dark psychology of France as it enters the French Revolution.
I am really intrigued on your thoughts, dear reader, if you have read or audiobook this title and if you liked The Glutton. I will be hugely intrigued to see if this will be in the shortlist when it will be announced later this month…
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