Mongrels
by Stephen Graham Jones
fantasy, horror
copyright 2016
read (a little bit) in December 2018
rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else. Though I should add a reminder: this is *my* rating for *my own* enjoyment of the book.
From the book's title I was not surprised to find that this is a book about the "trailer trash" of the werewolf world. No-hopers who can't hold a job, whose preferred response is to fight. Who live short and brutal lives. Mongrels. Not characters to like.
They have a problem with reproduction, the mother always dies giving birth. It doesn't stop them from breeding, just limits each mother to one child. Then that child is brought up by the father. Or by various surviving relatives. There are early hints that this may be a problem with a solution, a solution which is not widely known. I wonder why not?
The style of the book is -- I guess -- representing the occasional thoughts of the central character. There are jumps and discontinuities, lots of unstated happenings -- though it is quite easy to follow.
Maybe this book is a deep and insightful analysis of the difficulties of actually being a werewolf? In a similar way to HG Wells' invisible man: it's not as good as you'd think, to be invisible or a werewolf. Okay. And there may be improvements as the story and characters develop. Maybe.
I didn't read far enough to appreciate the analysis nor to find the improvements. If there is anything positive -- any hope for the coming-of-age werewolf -- I did not reach it.
So far, it's a bit miserable. I'm not interested in reading any further.
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
... Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
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"For every action there is an equal and opposite government program."
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