![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
juushikaTitle: The Monsters of Templeton
Author: Lauren Groff
Published: New York: Hyperion, 2008
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 361
Total Page Count: 99,606
Text Number: 284
Read Because: personal enjoyment, borrowed from the library
Review: Pregnant by her professor, Willie Upton returns in disgrace to her childhood home, the quaint New England town of Templeton. Her mother greets her with strange news: Willie's father is not a random man from a free-love commune out West, but is instead another resident of the town. Willie digs into Templeton's history in search of her father, and discovers a tangled family tree, lake monsters, secrets, American history, and what's become of the town's residents—and her own family—since she's been gone. That's a lot to pack into a single book, and The Monsters of Templeton does so by being in equal measure fun colorful fluff and an intriguing and empathetic story. The former makes for an easy read which, to my surprise, works more often than not—it can edge uncomfortably close to twee, but on the whole the vivid characters and irreverent tone are engaging and enjoyable, and the lightness renders the intricacies of history consumable. The latter is occasionally brilliant—some moments in Willie's development are delicate and emotional, there's an occasional intriguing historical figure, and above all the lake monster gives the story an unexpected tinge of unease and magic. For better or worse, however, the humor often overshadows and hampers the subtlety. It may give the book style and makes it accessible and fun, but a lot of depth is lost when a clever quip takes precedence over a quiet moment. The inclination towards humor also has a strange effect on some of the interpersonal relationships: while some provide the best and most complex moments in the book, some—especially and most unfortunately the relationship between Willie and her mother—feel stiff and theatrical.
Part of the charm of The Monsters of Templeton is this contradiction: it's fun without being throwaway, mature without taking itself seriously, and that's a promising and sometimes successful combination. But while the effect is readable at the time, upon completion I find myself missing the quieter parts of the book that were drowned out by the laughter. The book ends by lingering on the monster, who dies on the first page but remains a presence in the past and present of the book. This section is haunting, disquieting, and softly beautiful—and then it ends, and so does the novel entire. I want to read more: more of that quiet, subtle, magical book that isn't; less of this book which is, which is fun and engaging but perhaps a little frantic and shallow, and not, ultimately, quite to my taste. The Monsters of Templeton is an enjoyable read, and I recommend it. But I think I would have loved that other book much more.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
Author: Lauren Groff
Published: New York: Hyperion, 2008
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 361
Total Page Count: 99,606
Text Number: 284
Read Because: personal enjoyment, borrowed from the library
Review: Pregnant by her professor, Willie Upton returns in disgrace to her childhood home, the quaint New England town of Templeton. Her mother greets her with strange news: Willie's father is not a random man from a free-love commune out West, but is instead another resident of the town. Willie digs into Templeton's history in search of her father, and discovers a tangled family tree, lake monsters, secrets, American history, and what's become of the town's residents—and her own family—since she's been gone. That's a lot to pack into a single book, and The Monsters of Templeton does so by being in equal measure fun colorful fluff and an intriguing and empathetic story. The former makes for an easy read which, to my surprise, works more often than not—it can edge uncomfortably close to twee, but on the whole the vivid characters and irreverent tone are engaging and enjoyable, and the lightness renders the intricacies of history consumable. The latter is occasionally brilliant—some moments in Willie's development are delicate and emotional, there's an occasional intriguing historical figure, and above all the lake monster gives the story an unexpected tinge of unease and magic. For better or worse, however, the humor often overshadows and hampers the subtlety. It may give the book style and makes it accessible and fun, but a lot of depth is lost when a clever quip takes precedence over a quiet moment. The inclination towards humor also has a strange effect on some of the interpersonal relationships: while some provide the best and most complex moments in the book, some—especially and most unfortunately the relationship between Willie and her mother—feel stiff and theatrical.
Part of the charm of The Monsters of Templeton is this contradiction: it's fun without being throwaway, mature without taking itself seriously, and that's a promising and sometimes successful combination. But while the effect is readable at the time, upon completion I find myself missing the quieter parts of the book that were drowned out by the laughter. The book ends by lingering on the monster, who dies on the first page but remains a presence in the past and present of the book. This section is haunting, disquieting, and softly beautiful—and then it ends, and so does the novel entire. I want to read more: more of that quiet, subtle, magical book that isn't; less of this book which is, which is fun and engaging but perhaps a little frantic and shallow, and not, ultimately, quite to my taste. The Monsters of Templeton is an enjoyable read, and I recommend it. But I think I would have loved that other book much more.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
