Welcome to Litsy!

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

#camplitsy23

A few Littens bailed on this book 😬 but you can still join in with this question, even if you didn‘t get to the end! It‘s your opportunity to say what you thought of the book. There were quite a few plot holes identified last week; do you feel that these were resolved satisfactorily? What about the character development and the outside world; did we learn any more?

Join us tomorrow to vote for your favourite of this month‘s books!

squirrelbrain @Debinhawaii @Deblovestoread @DGRachel @eraderneely @ErikasMindfulShelf @GatheringBooks @Gissy @hes7 @Hooked_on_Books @ImperfectCJ @IndoorDame @JamieArc @JenniferP @JenReadsAlot @Jess @jhod 1y

squirrelbrain @jlhammar @JulesG @julieclair @Kangaj1 @Addison_Reads @AmyG @batsy @Bkclubcare @Bklover @Kitta @Julsmarshall @BookBosomed1 @BookNAround @Books_et_al @Bookwormjillk @Caroline2 @CarolynM @Catlass007 @CatMS @Cbee 1y

squirrelbrain @TrishB @YourFavouriteMixTape @ChaoticMissAdventures @Chelsea.Poole @Christine @Cinfhen @Cseydel @Cuilin @Dabbe @Kempfme @Kimberlone @Kristy_K @LaraReads @Larkken @Laughterhp @Leniverse @willaful @KarenUK @Monalyisha 1y

See All 47 Comments

squirrelbrain @LeticiaToraci @Lizpixie @Magpiegem @Merelybookish @Meshell1313 @MicheleinPhilly @MittenGirlPeach @Oryx @Peaknit @quietjenn @RaeLovesToRead @Read4life @youneverarrived
@RebelReader @rockpools 1y

squirrelbrain @Ruthiella @SamAnne @Sapphire @sarahbarnes @sblbooks @Soubhiville @Suet624 @Susanita @Tea_and_Starstuff @TEArificbooks @TheAromaofBooks @TheBookHippie @TheKidUpstairs @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @E.Bolhafner @sbolhafner @JoyBlue 1y

julesG Neffy and the child going out to try meeting the neighbours should have been the end, in my opinion. What that last bit is telling us is that the child survived and made memories she wants to revisit. But that reminded me of the stupid memory thingy. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 1y

Leniverse I hated the ending. Not just the Nina ending, but the whole end part. And especially the baby part. I haven't been that annoyed with a book baby since the Hunger Games, and in The Memory of Animals getting purposefully pregnant and having a baby at that point in time just seems like a spectacularly bad idea. 1y

BarbaraBB I agree @julesG that should have been the ending. Now I am not sure if Fuller wanted to end it with a hopeful ending? Seems weird, knowing her child would be the last child on earth - as far as we know. 1y

julesG @Leniverse I wanted to write that I would have been fine with the whole thing ending with Neffy driving into the sunset. Open end. Instead we get the baby. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 1y

merelybookish I did not hate the book but the ending was terrible! It felt cheap. Like here's hope for humanity's survival without getting into the nitty-gritty of survival. So don't worry folks! It'll be okay. 1y

julesG My words were stuck in my brain earlier, a bit like an octopus trying to escape its tank. 🐙 1y

Megabooks @Leniverse I loved the hunger games baby when I read that, but I felt way more invested in Peeta and Katniss‘s stories than Neffy‘s. It just felt lazy here. Agree @merelybookish (edited) 1y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB was she the last child on earth? It was weird leaving that open ended. I truly hated this ending!! 😡 1y

GatheringBooks I think I just finished the book out of respect for #CampLitsy23 plus I am simply a completist, but this must be the worst book I‘ve read of all times. Hated everything, so I wasn‘t too surprised that the ending was like huh? Baby? Huh? Turkey baster? Umm, ok. 1y

Kitta I think it either should have ended with them getting to the house and setting up a community or with them finding other survivors and deciding whether to trust them. I didn‘t like the baby ending and making it end with her baby doing a revisit seems particularly weird. It made me feel like the entire book was a memory from someone who wasn‘t there. It made no sense. 1y

CBee The ending was a bit meh. I would‘ve liked Neffy finding other survivors and maybe having that fleshed out a bit more. I‘m not sure I would‘ve been so keen to have a baby in the midst of such a deadly pandemic either….. a bit irresponsible. 1y

Bookwormjillk Having them all die and the baby was all just a big huh to me. What was that? I thought this book was okay up until then but the ending really annoyed me. 1y

CBee Thanks to @squirrelbrain @Megabooks and @BarbaraBB for a great time at camp! 💚💚💚 1y

squirrelbrain Yes, I wondered a similar thing too @Kitta - I thought maybe the whole book was a memory of the baby. But then my brain hurt so I stopped wondering! 🤣 I‘m not keen on books with an open ending, unless they‘re really well done. 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures @BarbaraBB are we supposed to find the last baby on earth hopeful?? I guess so but to me it was just utterly depressing and pointless. I agree with many above end with her driving off or with them just setting up the community. Though I don't understand why she would want to continue living with these people, I didn't like any of them and I don't think Neffy did either! 1y

squirrelbrain Oh dear @GatheringBooks - but your comment did make me laugh! 🤣 Plus I‘m a completist too so I hear you. (I feel the same way about Pod as you did about this but I *had* to finish it) 1y

Leniverse @Kitta @squirrelbrain What's his name, Luke, said that eventually they might be able to put somebody into someone else's memory. That was the goal. So maybe Nina was reliving Neffy's memories. Which, gross, what with the sex scenes and all 🤪 But also, who the hell continued developing that machine?! 1y

Kitta @leniverse ohhh good point, I didn‘t remember that. Weird she‘d be remembering her revisiting? Like memory in a memory? 1y

Soubhiville I feel ambivalent about the ending. On one hand I do think it‘s hopeful that there was another house with smoke coming from the chimney, that there were other survivors and maybe immune folks. On the other as @ChaoticMissAdventures said, Neffy didn‘t like or trust these people, would she want to continue living with them for the rest of her life just so she has companions? I don‘t quite buy that. 1y

julesG @Leniverse I was thinking about this "visiting another person's memory" idea but then hit the same question, who's going to update the machine? The new neighbours? 1y

Soubhiville Overall I enjoyed reading the book enough to give it a soft pick, but it does have a lot of flaws. I‘m not sure I‘d read another by Fuller. 1y

julesG Maybe it's atonement? It was a weird decision and I honestly hoped Neffy would load the ambulance and just drive off. @Soubhiville @ChaoticMissAdventures 1y

Soubhiville @julesG yes I was thinking the story would go that way too given the discovery of the others in the vax trial. I would have supported that ending. In continuing to live with them she‘s forgiving an awful lot! Which is hard to believe. How to ever put trust in any of them again? 1y

Soubhiville Maybe she had to forgive them in order to forgive herself for not being able to save her dad/ not being with her boyfriend at the end/ putting the woman across the street in danger/ etc. 1y

sarahbarnes I agree with @julesG that going out to meet the people living nearby should‘ve been the ending of the book. I would‘ve liked that a lot better. All that to say, I liked this one but didn‘t love it. I‘ve loved other books on the same topic much more. Thank you for being such good hosts this summer @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB @Megabooks! 1y

Megabooks @Soubhiville I really enjoyed this by her. 👍🏻👍🏻

Unsettled Ground

Meshell1313 I kind of loved it. I loved the idea that the entire book could have just been memories instead of being told in real time. A nice surprise. Any other ending would have felt repetitive and cliche. I love when a book can make me say out loud “what?!?” 1y

TheKidUpstairs I didn't hate the ending, but I didn't love it either. I liked the idea that she was experiencing the memory of the story through the Revisitor, but didn't like the baby. It seemed unnecessary (and scientifically questionable) to rush that in. I like that she was woken from the revisit by a sound from outside, and I liked the open-endedness of that: are there other people out there? Are they healthy? Will she go out to meet them? 1y

batsy Agreed @merelybookish that was my issue with it. The ending also felt like a bit of a cop out. Of course the idea of humankind persevering with a new generation is nice to think about, but it lacks imagination. OK, there's a baby. So life goes on? What about the world that existed where everyone just died? Ugh. I don't know. 1y

jlhammar Yes to so much of what you all have said here! I'm guessing that the whole having a baby to continue humanity thing was supposed to be hopeful, but I found it terrible and irresponsible. We have no idea if “Shall we go and say hello?“ actually means there was a living human there. And we're supposed to believe that the revisitor still works like a dream 50+ years later? I took that ending to mean Nina is alone and is revisiting memories w/Neffy. 1y

jlhammar Thanks so much, Helen, for leading our discussions this month! It's been so fun to read and discuss these books with everyone. 1y

BarbaraBB @Megabooks @GatheringBooks I interpreted the ending that way, that she had a kid but I was wondering who that kid could grew up with since there were no people left as far as I knew? So no not hopeful but very depressing! 1y

Deblovestoread I had to go back to the end of the book after reading @julesG comment. Somehow I stopped at the page where Neffy opens the door to go meet the neighbors. That‘s the better ending. There‘s hope there for the survival of mankind. But even that doesn‘t save this book for me. My first Fuller, not sure if I will try a second. 1y

DebinHawaii I don‘t think Fuller “stuck the landing” for sure. I would have been good with leaving it at Neffy & the baby going out the door to find the other people from the smoke-the hope that there are other survivors. I reread the final pages a few times & remain confused. That being said, overall I liked the book & found it interesting. It kept my attention & I‘ll give it a pick but it‘s in last place for me if I look at all 6. Still thinking what my ⬇️ (edited) 1y

DebinHawaii …1st place pick will be! 🤔 Again thank you to our #CampLitsy23 hosts—I really enjoyed being a part of it this summer! @BarbaraBB @Megabooks @squirrelbrain 💚 💚💚 (edited) 1y

squirrelbrain I‘m looking forward to finding out our #camplitsy23 winner too! @DebinHawaii 1y

Hooked_on_books Like so many others, I would have preferred her going out to meet the neighbors to be the ending rather than Nina as an adult using the Revisitor. That just felt tacked on to me. I didn‘t mind the having the baby then everyone else dies part. I thought those events fit the story. On another note, did anyone else find it kinda gross that she was screwing her stepbrother? I didn‘t like that choice. Especially her mom winking at her about it. 1y

DebinHawaii @Hooked_on_books Yes, the wink especially seemed a little gross even if they weren‘t related by blood. 🫣 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures @Megabooks Unsettled Ground is the only one of hers I have read too, and I really enjoyed it. I think it was a Women's Prize long list book. 1y

Christine THANK YOU, @squirrelbrain , @BarbaraBB , and @Megabooks for these wonderful discussions! A lovely summer tradition. 1y

squirrelbrain @Hooked_on_books - yes! That was a real WTF moment for me - I had to go back and re-read a few pages to see if I‘d got it wrong. And odd that it wasn‘t really addressed in any way within the book - why did it need to be her stepbrother? 1y

squirrelbrain You‘re welcome @christine @DebinHawaii @jlhammar @sarahbarnes @CBee - it‘s the campers that make this so special though - such great insights and discussions! 1y

47 likes47 comments

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

#camplitsy23

What do you think of the author‘s writing style? Are there differences between empathy and sympathy demonstrated in this book?

If you‘ve read any of the author‘s other books, how does this one compare in style?

See All 31 Comments

julesG As a very blunt person (that's what I think of myself) I get that quote. To me empathy is feeling with others, sentimentality is wallowing in feelings. The book is not wallowing in feelings, it feels rather 'blunt' to me - I'm thinking of the childbirth description right now. We get the facts, we don't get "oh, it was such a shame they weren't there to help, see the baby, see her first steps,... Woe be me, I'm so alone." 1y

merelybookish I find it hard to define sentimentality. I just know it makes me cringe when something feels like it's sentimental. Wallowing is a good way of putting it! @julesG Maybe sentimentality, also feels simplistic? Like if something is sad, it's really sad, and that's it. I would not say this book felt sentimental. I've only read 1 of her other novels. I have a thing for books about absent/missing mothers so liked

Swimming Lessons

merelybookish Also, isn't empathy just part of what we expect from most novelists? 1y

Megabooks I agree with Day. This is the third Fuller I‘ve read this year, and I agree with this for her writing overall. 1y

TrishB I‘ve liked her other books, but didn‘t like this one. Have never found her sentimental. 1y

Kitta I thought the memories/revisiting and the letters seemed sentimental but the actual plot and current things happening lacked sentimentality and was more blunt, as @julesG said. So I‘m not sure I completely agree about the whole book lacking sentimentality. Just my opinion though 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1y

GatheringBooks I think I will pass reading another Claire Fuller novel at this point. I found neither empathy nor sentimentality; just a hodge podge of ideas thrown together without coherence. Again, this may just be me really. 1y

CBee This didn‘t seem sentimental to me - Day maybe means sentimentality to be the cheesy, cloying kind and I didn‘t get that at all. Maybe I‘m wrong in interpreting her meaning though. I haven‘t read any of Fuller‘s other books, but would like to as I enjoyed this one! (edited) 1y

Bookwormjillk @GatheringBooks agree 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures Sentimental for me is where someone is led more by emotions than rational thought - wallowing is a good way to put it when the person is looking back, and I think Neffy is a sentimental person (releasing the octopus and writing to it) but Fuller writes the book with and overarching empathy that does not cross the line. Maybe b/c we spend 1/3 of the time in the present which is very stark and filled with unlikable characters. 1y

julesG @GatheringBooks Right there with you 1y

squirrelbrain @CBee - I liked this one. Still a bit weird and dark, but more coherent than Animals.

Unsettled Ground

Soubhiville I read Swimming Lessons and really disliked it. I may even have bailed on it. So I was surprised to like this one even though I do see faults with it. 1y

Soubhiville @julesG I like your definitions of empathy and sympathy. I think you‘re pretty spot on. 1y

CBee @squirrelbrain I like weird and dark 😂🤪 Thanks for the rec! 1y

Meshell1313 Oh that‘s interesting actually. I can see that is there is level of detachment that comes through while all of these horrific things are going on. I think even using the revisitor adds to that level of detachment. Not wanted to invest emotionally in the present but instead escape. 1y

TheKidUpstairs To me, sentimentality in novels is trying to force the reader's emotional experience, where empathy is giving/writing the character's emotional experience. I get frustrated with sentimentality, if you want me to feel sadness, tell me a sad story, don't tell me why I should be sad. This one was definitely not sentimental, although it didn't feel particularly empathetic either. But I think that was because Neffy herself had a hard time (cont'd) 1y

TheKidUpstairs ...empathizing with other people, so that level of disconnect worked for me with this story. I really enjoyed Fuller's writing style, I think it was why I enjoyed this one despite it's problems. I'm interested to check out more. 1y

jlhammar Yeah, I think that blurb is apt, I don't find Fuller's writing sentimental. I first read Our Endless Numbered Days years ago and really liked it. Then I read Swimming Lessons and didn't really get on with it. My third Fuller was Unsettled Ground which I loved. I haven't tried Bitter Orange yet, but might eventually. I'd definitely be open to read whatever she writes next. 1y

batsy I agree in that I do think Fuller is an interesting writer (hence I'm willing to try her other books) and she didn't really lean into being sentimental in how she describes things, but I felt the Revisitor plot thing was a sentimental way of structuring the book, and it rubbed me the wrong way. So idk lol. Like @merelybookish says, novelists should ideally be empathetic because how else are you going to depict a character 🤷🏾‍♀️ 1y

Deblovestoread I do think the author was trying to build empathy for Neffy so we‘d be rooting for her in the end. Typically you‘d appreciate a character who wanted to release a wild creature back to his natural habitat, someone who wanted to go back and revisit their loved ones, who wouldn‘t turn away the unlikeable other characters. 1y

squirrelbrain I love everyone‘s comments here on the difference between empathy and sympathy; it‘s really enlightened things for me. 1y

DebinHawaii I have not read any of her books although I have had Swimming Lessons on my TBR for ages from #BOTM but I find the quote to be mostly true for the writing in this book. Fuller wants us to understand what Neffy has been going through but as others have said, not to “wallow” in it & she mostly describes what is happening to us as observers so we understand with compassion, but aren‘t spending time pitying Neffy or the other characters. 1y

Hooked_on_books Yes, I definitely agree with the quote. Sentimentality in writing is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me—I don‘t want to have anything to do with it. And I didn‘t get that from this book at all. But I feel like she built empathy for Neffy by showing her as deeply human and flawed, like all of us. I think anyone could find something about her to relate to. 1y

JamieArc I‘m going to have to do some thinking on this. I somehow missed along the way that sentimentality is a bad thing, because I‘m pretty sure that I‘m at least a little bit of a sentimental person 🫣 1y

squirrelbrain @JamieArc is sentimentality such a bad thing though? We seem to have picked up on the negative connotations as a comparison with empathy, but there‘s a fine line, I think. 1y

45 likes31 comments

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

Welcome to our final week of #camplitsy23 questions! It‘s sad 😢 to be getting to the end of this year‘s summer camp but we‘ve had such a good time, haven‘t we?

What did you think of Neffy‘s thoughts around octopuses and her treatment of them? And why octopuses in particular do you think? They seem to be everywhere in literature at the moment! 🐙🐙🐙

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness

See All 51 Comments

julesG I'm not sure whether the octopuses added to the story. The facts were interesting, but, in my opinion, the book could have done without and Neffy's letters could have easily been addressed to a different (human) friend. And the cynic in me says the octopuses were only added because they are the rage right now. 😬 1y

Oryx If anything, I want more octopuses. 😉 1y

Soubhiville It has been a terrific summer at #CampLitsy! What great councilors we have leading us! (edited) 1y

Soubhiville @julesG @Oryx I agree with both of you! While I do love cephalopods and I‘m very happy to see them getting attention, the aquarium and octopus line in this book seem detached from other parts of the story. It does seem that Fuller had a lot of small ideas and decided to jam them all into one novel. 1y

merelybookish I felt like the octopus was intended to be significant to the story and I never quite grasped why. 🤷 1y

Leniverse I'm with @Oryx Octopuses are great so I'm only surprised it has taken literature so long to cotton on. 😄 I'm not a scientist, but I thought the research parameters were strange. If they wanted to study arm regrowth, shouldn't they try to make the environment as natural as possible? Idk 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1y

Soubhiville It seems a little strange that Neffy would go into the aquarium career not being aware that she‘d be taking care of captive animals. I can relate to wanting them to have more fulfilling lives, but why go into the job if you can‘t handle the idea of captive creatures? (Being who I am I might also have wanted to release all the animals. But I was always the girl who wanted to buy the lobster and release it in the sea.) 1y

julesG @merelybookish That thought crossed my mind too. Made me feel stupid. 1y

Leniverse I noticed that Neffy denied the charge of anthropomorphism. She seemed to think octopuses were superior in many ways and we should be more like them, and if anything was "cephalomorphing" herself. 1y

julesG @Oryx @Leniverse @Soubhiville I like cephalopods. I am happy to see and read more of them. But as Leni pointed out, the research felt off. And just like Soubhi I think Neffy went into her career a bit naively. 1y

BarbaraBB I am with @merelybookish I thought the octopuses were important but looking back I don‘t think they were 1y

BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I am sad we‘ve reached the end of our #CampLitsy23. I‘ve really had such a good time with @Megabooks, you and all the awesome campers who joined us in reading some great books 💖 1y

merelybookish Yes, where did the summer go?! Thank you to all the hosts and organizers! It's such a fun communal reading experience! 1y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB yes, I‘ll miss camp @BarbaraBB and @squirrelbrain !! Already looking forward to next year! 1y

Megabooks I did think it was strange that she went into research and aquaculture not wanting animals to be captive. She had that early experience in Greece, so it‘s not like she didn‘t understand her position already. Although as a veterinarian, I will say working in clinics before I was a DVM euthanasia was a lot easier. (Like being a pet nurse/tech.) when I was the doctor completely responsible for the experience of the animals and their humans ⬇️ 1y

Megabooks It just sits differently. 🤷🏻‍♀️ it‘s hard to explain. But I think she definitely knew how she felt when she started work at the aquarium, so that was a bad idea. And I‘m going to use that word now @leniverse !! 1y

Megabooks I will say I stopped eating octopus when I read this, but I really liked eating them. 😬😬 it‘s weird to draw a line though. Although I don‘t eat any meat or fish now.

Leniverse @Megabooks ? Took me a while to work out how to spell it. Maybe it should be "cephalomorphising". 1y

Kitta I‘ve worked at marine research facilities and we had one octopus escape, it tried to squeeze down a drain pipe with outflow back to the ocean but there was mesh and it died. It was heartbreaking for us. We had to add bricks to their lids afterwards. I understand her feelings, loving them and working with them is hard, but she should‘ve known what the research entails. I liked the octopus facts, they were correct from my understanding (not my area) 1y

SamAnne Many thanks to @squirrelbrain and @barbaraBB for being fabulous hosts! I skipped this book. Was traveling for the month and my library didn‘t have an ebook or audio, and based on initial reviews I didn‘t want to buy it. But I love octopuses! Bring on the cephalopods! 1y

Kitta I felt like the letters gave an explanation into how she ended up being in the trial in the first place. Getting fired, her conviction to do something she believed in, etc. I thought it could have been integrated better, at first I thought they were letters to her father. 1y

SamAnne When I watch them in aquariums they seem like intelligent, otherworldly creatures. Like they must have come from outer space! 🐙🐙🐙👽👽👽🛸🛸🛸 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures @Kitta oh my that is so sad!! They are so crafty which seems to lead to many mishaps. I wish something had been said by Neffy about the difference between field and lab research, like how she had intended to do field research but the jobs were not available. 1y

CBee @Soubhiville SAME 🙋‍♀️ 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures I took her letters to H more as a diary entry type letter. I felt she was addressing the octopus but not seriously, more of a way to get her explanation of how she got to where she was now out on paper. The three competing timelines -current day, youth& family, and her career if they were all needed I liked how they were separated it helped me keep track of where and what was going on. 1y

GatheringBooks Thank you to the #CampLitsy23 counselors for such an awesome time this year. I am so glad I was able to join y‘all. Apologies to this book crew, but I found the parts about the octopus so unbelievably boring and like @julesG and @Soubhiville noted seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with the storyline at all. What a mess of a novel! 1y

CBee I liked the octopus storyline 🤷🏻‍♀️ I can see how some felt like it was disjointed and maybe didn‘t add to the story, but my take was that octopi connected Neffy to her mother and father in different ways, and maybe that was a big part of her attachment to them? Her letters to H were love letters - similar to her mother “falling in love” with an octopus too. 1y

squirrelbrain @julesG @merelybookish - I felt there was some kind of metaphor / analogy with the octopuses that I couldn‘t quite see. I get the ‘being trapped‘ comparison but why octopuses in particular? 1y

squirrelbrain Love that word @Leniverse ! Although I can never say anthropomorphising properly (I can spell it fine! 🤷‍♀️) so I probably won‘t even try pronouncing that one! 1y

Bookwormjillk I kind of thought her inability to help her Dad in time paired with letting the octopus go were the reasons she joined the trial, and maybe even later helped all those annoying people she found herself with. I wasn‘t really sure though. It didn‘t really come together for me. 1y

squirrelbrain @kitta I felt like she went into the trial because she couldn‘t save her Dad, not because of the 🐙, so the letters, and the whole octopus strand of the story, felt a bit superfluous. 1y

squirrelbrain @Bookwormjillk - I think we posted at the exact same time! 😃 1y

Kitta @squirrelbrain I guess so, although I felt it explained more of the financial aspect. She lost her job, wasn‘t able to get another, so the trial would have provided money. It also showed her conviction of deciding to free the octopus was similar to her decision to enter the trail. She wouldn‘t be swayed against it. Although this was mostly explained without the letters so not sure they were necessary. I just like reading about octopuses. 1y

Kitta @chaoticmisadventures it was really sad 😢. And yes, field research is really different! Our institute did a mix of both but mostly catch, study, & release, if possible. So he would have gone home eventually which makes it worse. 1y

Kitta Fwiw I think she freed the octopus because she couldn‘t save her dad, so they‘re definitely connected. @squirrelbrain @Bookwormjillk 1y

Meshell1313 I love everyone‘s thoughts! For me, it just served as some kind of metaphor for being held captive and not being allowed to be free. Wether that represents her parents or her relationship I‘m not sure. I think it also relates to her decision to sign up for the trial in the first place. Maybe? 🤷🏼‍♀️ 1y

jlhammar Hmmm, I think octopuses are amazing (especially after reading The Soul of an Octopus), but I can't say it was bringing a lot to the table for me here. I agree with others that it seemed like she had these interesting disparate ideas (pandemic, octopus, revisitor), but the elements didn't quite come together for me. I mean, I thought it was fine, I liked it well enough to read the whole thing in an afternoon, but I guess I was just hoping for more. 1y

TheKidUpstairs I think that Neffy had a hard time connecting with people, and the octopuses were a sort of stand in for her. They have enough intelligence to feel that there is a connection, but she was able to imbue the connection with her own mess of emotions and not have to worry about adding other people's feelings into the jumble. Any time she had to consider other people's emotional lives she would enter fight/flight/freeze mode. 1y

batsy I agree with @julesG I think octopuses are super fascinating, but they have become a sort of literary trend (bless the octopuses) and in this book I felt like it was just added in because, wow, cool. In contrast an octopus that showed up in another novel and really gripped my imagination, to the point that I still remember the octopus years later, is in this one:

The Lightkeepers: A Novel

Deblovestoread I kept waiting for the letters and the rest of the story to intertwine and since it didn‘t, it felt like another device to get our attention since Octopi are hot in literature right now. 1y

Deblovestoread Adding my thanks to our counselors and my fellow readers for a fun camp! 📚🏕️ 1y

Cinfhen Shoutout to another wonderful summer of #CampLitsy!!!!! Thanks so much @BarbaraBB @Megabooks @squirrelbrain for hosting & leading wonderful discussions!!!! 1y

DebinHawaii Yes, a big thanks to all of our counselors at #CampLitsy23 @squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB !!! 🏕️🎉 Camp was so fun! I was okay with the letters & the 🐙 I chalked it up to her trying to help the 🐙 when she couldn‘t help her dad & then being an imaginary penpal & writing eased her feelings of isolation when she was trapped with a bunch of unknown & fairly unlikable people.🤷🏻‍♀️ I do think the book was disjointed & not all of it came ⬇️ 1y

DebinHawaii … together as well as I would have liked but I found it interesting. Also I am in the bring in the 🐙 🐙🐙 camp. 😉 1y

Hooked_on_books Like many others here, I thought the letters to the octopus were an odd addition to the book. It never quite made sense to me why they were there, though it was fun to read about an octopus, cuz they‘re cool. Thanks to all our counselors for another fun year at camp! 1y

Christine While I really enjoyed this book overall, I was a bit bummed to discover the octopus element, as I have several other of the hot octopus books (funny phrase to type 😆) on my TBR that I‘ve been eager to try and didn‘t want to get octopus burnout. But reading the comments here reassures me that there‘s never too much octopus content! 1y

43 likes51 comments

Hooked_on_books

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

I‘m not sure what to say about this one. I feel like it had too many disparate elements put together that didn‘t all belong in the same book. And there are things in it I could absolutely tear down. But, I enjoyed reading it. And that‘s really the bottom line for me, so I‘m giving it a soft pick. (Bindi *really* wanted to go for a walk when I took the pic, hence the intense attention. 😆)

dabbe Hello there, Beautiful Bindi! 🖤🐾🖤 1y

Soubhiville I hope you both enjoyed a good walk after your post. 🙂 1y

Leftcoastzen Awww! Looking right at us !👏🐶 1y

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squirrelbrain Aw Bindi! ❤️❤️ I have pretty much the same feelings as you about the book- I enjoyed reading it but it had a lot of faults too. 1y

LeahBergen Oh, Bindi! ❤️ 1y

Hooked_on_books @Soubhiville We sure did! She wouldn‘t let me getting away with not taking her out! 😆 1y

vlwelser That face! 😍 1y

ShelleyBooksie Bindi ♡♡♡♡♡ 1y

59 likes8 comments

Bookwormjillk

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

Huh?

Looking forward to discussing this tomorrow for #CampLitsy

Megabooks I do not know what to make of the ending! 🤔 1y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Oh no!! Is it not good?! 1y

Bookwormjillk @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks really weird with a strange ending. I didn‘t hate it though. 1y

71 likes3 comments

Soubhiville

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

#CampLitsy2023

I liked this more than I expected to, given so many others‘ reviews and the fact that I‘ve bailed on other books by Fuller.

A pandemic book, but with a different virus, and with characters I didn‘t quite trust. I wasn‘t sure which timeline I was supposed to care more about. But the overriding feeling of uncertainty and longing for the past resonated with me.

It‘s not a strong pick, but I did like it.

Tamra I think it‘s a bit of a cilantro novel. 😏 I liked the pandemic aspect of the story. 1y

Soubhiville @Tamra that is the perfect way to describe it! 1y

Megabooks I‘m glad you enjoyed it! I can‘t believe the last discussion is tomorrow. 1y

See All 6 Comments

squirrelbrain Great review Soubhi! And I love that description! @Tamra 1y

Leftcoastzen 👏😻 1y

Hooked_on_books I just finished this today and am mulling my review. I feel like it shouldn‘t have worked, but I liked reading it. 1y

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JamieArc

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

This one started strong for me, and then started to fall flat, and then left me wanting more. There was a lot going on in this book - scary pandemic, memories, taboo relationship, mysterious letters. I liked the revisitor, but found the characters a bit grating. Finishing the book, I think I spent the next 10 minutes going, “Hmm,” “meh,” “hrmmm.” I really didn‘t know what to think. Looking forward to the last discussion for #CampLitsy23

CSeydel That‘s a great review! I felt the same way. Definitely seemed to run out of steam at the end. 1y

squirrelbrain Yes, I wasn‘t really sure of the ending either. Hopefully the weekend‘s discussions will enlighten us all! 1y

62 likes2 comments

Chelsea.Poole

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

What do we own one another? Is our worth defined by our altruism? Fuller explores this through Neffy, a twenty-something marine biologist who is drifting through life after a rough series of events. Then a global pandemic hits! In an effort to right past wrongs, Neffy signs up for a vaccine trial and the world around her changes. The past becomes irresistible and Neffy finds a way to live there. Unexpected, and not without issues, but I liked it!

Chelsea.Poole #camplitsy23 1y

squirrelbrain Glad you liked it! 1y

95 likes2 comments

CBee

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

I‘m in the minority here, but I really couldn‘t put this down! Yes, it has flaws, and it won‘t make my best of the year list, but I actually really enjoyed it 🤷🏻‍♀️😊 Looking very forward to the final discussion on Saturday! #camplitsy23

Megabooks Great! Can‘t wait to hear your thoughts! 1y

squirrelbrain So glad you liked it! 1y

Chelsea.Poole I really like it too! 1y

Meshell1313 Same!!! 1y

CBee @Chelsea.Poole @Meshell1313 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1y

72 likes5 comments

Leniverse

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

so-so

I liked the first half of the book. It started out rather 28 Days Later, but then added some weird memory tech and a lot about octopuses and I thought we were making an intriguing turn towards The Shape of Water. But in the end it was just a season of Big Brother except you only follow one person and they spend most of their time reliving their past and there's the occasional sex scene. I hoped the ending might save it for me, but no, I hated it.

merelybookish I liked it more than you but the ending is terrible! 1y

julesG Good review! That's about what I thought. 1y

39 likes2 comments

ChaoticMissAdventures

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

so-so

#CampListy2023 read. I like Fuller's writing. I didn't love this story.
I know most people are not enjoying the Revisitor plot device but I actually didn't mind it, I like a bit if speculative fiction. The buts I didn't get were how the entire staff just abandoned the patients - not one nurse or housekeeper stayed in the safety of the clinic? I am unsure why Fuller felt the need to have Neffy on the outside of the group dynamics and the way 👇

ChaoticMissAdventures Those dynamics were set up did not work for me. I also think only Neffy herself was a flushed out character, everyone else in the story felt 1- dimensional. I was heading to a 3.5 star book due to creativity and writing but then the end came and I didn't like that at all. So ending on a 2.5. 1y

34 likes1 comment

rachaich

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

Still thinking it over...
Such a mixture of themes, from science and ethics, animals and humanity, virus and pandemics... but well written and thought out.

23 likes1 stack add

CatLass007

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

bailed

I‘ve been listening to this for #CampLitsy23 and I just can‘t. I‘m three-quarters of the way through, there‘s a voice in my head saying that I “should” finish it. The other voice is saying “stop shoulding your life away.” So I‘m done.

Megabooks I didn‘t much care for it either, but please join the discussion Saturday anyway! Life is too short #JustBail. 🙂 1y

CatLass007 @Megabooks Thanks. I think I will. 1y

BarbaraBB I can understand why you‘d bail! 1y

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squirrelbrain You‘ll still be able to join in on Saturday I‘m sure! 1y

CatLass007 @squirrelbrain Thanks. I‘ll be there. 1y

Tamra Listen to your intuition. I usually regret it when I don‘t. I liked the pandemic storyline, but other aspects not so much. 1y

CatLass007 @Tamra Thanks. I thought parts of it were interesting but mostly, it just wasn‘t. 1y

61 likes7 comments

TheKidUpstairs

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

This one has some flaws (especially the two big ones discussed in #CampLitsy23 this past weekend, the Revisitor and 2D secondary characters), but at the end of the day, I enjoyed reading it. Not a perfect book, it won't go on any year's best lists, but entertaining and engaging throughout.

The cover, however, is perfect. How freakin' gorgeous? Designed by Beth Steidle, art by Lisa Ericson

BarbaraBB Glad it ended up being a pick for you 1y

Chelsea.Poole I agree! And yes!!! The cover is the best of the year in my book 😉 1y

66 likes2 comments

rachaich

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

I've read her other novels and was drawn by the cover.
On starting, I've no idea where this is going... it's taken a couple of attempts to get into the flow.

Tamra It‘s an odd one and I‘m not sure there is a smooth flow. I felt like the memory device kept interrupting the pandemic plot. 1y

18 likes1 comment

Deblovestoread

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

so-so

#BookReport

Loved In Memoriam and Tom Lake, both 5 🌟 reads. Enjoyed Victory City and am caught up to the author in the Gaslight mystery series. #SeriesLoves23

I had read the first section of The Memory of Animals for #CampLitsy and decided not to continue, but the rest of the day my curiosity about how it would end made me pick it up and finish last night. I‘m not sorry I did but the book is flawed. 2 🌟

Megabooks, Cinfhen, Andrew65, squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB, TheSpineView

TheSpineView Bummer! Hopefully the next book will be better. 1y

squirrelbrain Glad you finished Animals but sorry it was rubbish! 🤣 At least you‘ll be able to join in with next weekend‘s questions though. 1y

BarbaraBB I enjoyed the start too but it went a bit downhill 1y

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Cinfhen I‘m surprised that I didn‘t hate Memory as much as some others did. Definitely flawed but not utter rubbish 1y

Megabooks I agree it‘s flawed, but I‘m glad you finished! 1y

SamAnne Ah, I‘ve been on an epic month long trip and chose to skip Memory of Animals based on the reviews. Have enjoyed all the other #camplitsy choices!! (edited) 1y

63 likes6 comments

Chelsea.Poole

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

It‘s a beautiful morning here! ☕️ 📖

kspenmoll Gorgeous flowers! 1y

marleed Yes it is! 1y

IndoorDame Looks so relaxing ❤️ 1y

Deblovestoread Lovely spot! 1y

BarbaraBB Wow 🤩 1y

85 likes5 comments

vlwelser

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

so-so

This book definitely needed more octopodes. 🐙

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Megabooks Yes!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 1y

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1y

39 likes2 comments

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

Would you have wanted to go outside in Neffy‘s position?

Did you feel that what we learned about the pandemic outside felt realistic or was it more science fiction / dystopia?

Megabooks I can understand her hesitation. There‘s no proof she‘d be immune, especially from the new strain. I think it‘s interesting we‘re seeing it from her perspective because she didn‘t see the worst horrors that her fellow “roommates” described. 1y

Leniverse I think she has the best chance at being immune/surviving the new strand, and they will eventually starve in there. People outside seem to suffer from confusion and memory loss, so it shouldn't be too difficult to avoid danger. I'd need a couple of days to get my bearings, but then I would go. At least I hope I would! 1y

GatheringBooks If I were Neffy, I would just leave flat out and find my way elsewhere. The depiction of the “outside world” seems just a shade more dystopian compared to real-life pandemic situation but the parallels are there somewhat. 1y

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JamieArc I get their concern and kind of agree with them, that she has the best chance of surviving. It‘s an interesting dynamic, to be stuck with this group of people, but not experience what they did. I empathize with Neffy figuring out if she feels one of the “team” (obligated to the group) or not. I like @Leniverse ‘s idea. 1y

Bookwormjillk @GatheringBooks agree, I would just leave. The people she‘s with don‘t seem to care about her. They just want to know what they can get from her. 1y

julesG @Leniverse Same! I'd definitely try to go. It's the only logical option. 1y

CBee I‘d leave, get food, bring them some because it‘s the nice thing to do (even if everyone around you is psycho), then find my way elsewhere. The pandemic and depiction of those suffering from the virus - I‘m totally getting “I Am Legend” vibes, sort of. Like eventually they‘ll turn into zombie-like creatures 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1y

LaraReads @JamieArc yes, agreed with this. It‘s hard to know at this point if they are worth sticking with. However, navigating the outside world solo is a daunting concept. I have a feeling when the apocalypse comes, none of us will get to choose who we are stuck with! But I‘m not sure I‘d like to do it all alone either! 1y

Soubhiville @CBee that does seem like a possibility. I would want to venture out, and if finding food and getting back with it was easy, I would probably bring them some and let them know where they could access more, but then I think I‘d take off on my own. I‘d rather be alone then with a group I don‘t trust. 1y

Soubhiville The situation the others have reported seeing seems likely in a really deadly pandemic- violence and looting, etc. It doesn‘t seem far fetched to me at all. 1y

sarahbarnes It would feel like a really tough decision for me - the choice to stay where she is indefinitely or go out into a totally unknown situation. And agree with @Megabooks that she really doesn‘t know if she‘s immune. I honestly don‘t know what I would do. 1y

CBee @Soubhiville I‘m thinking she‘d have access to PPE, right? So she could suit up and go out somewhat safely, in addition to her potential immunity. 1y

jlhammar I think this leans more towards dystopian. I wouldn't be eager to go out into it, but it would come to the point where there is no other choice if you want to survive. I'm finding it really hard to articulate my thoughts about this book without discussing the second half! 1y

batsy I felt like the outside world of the pandemic came off flat. Whatever dangers were there seemed distant. Were there any immediate dangers for Neffy? I can't recall. Would I go? I honestly don't know. Just thinking about how terrifying it was here when the lockdowns happened (it was imposed harshly here), I know I would have to go out because I don't have a choice. I think the plague element of the world outside was underdeveloped in the book. 1y

Meshell1313 @GatheringBooks I agree! I think it started out realistic and true to what happened but then took a turn to become more dystopian. 1y

Meshell1313 @CBee oh yes very good point! And she‘s technically, possibly immune right? 1y

CBee @Meshell1313 yep! So potentially she‘d be as protected as possible. 1y

CBee I also feel a dystopian vibe! 1y

squirrelbrain @cbee - it feels like we‘ve already found a few plot holes. Firstly, being allowed to take a Revisitor in when everything else was banned and now you‘ve spotted the PPE hole. 🤔 1y

GatheringBooks @batsy everything came off as confusing for me actually - and hastily executed. I also felt that the memory device is a separate plot device altogether from the pandemic, it‘s like they‘ve been patched together weirdly sans rhyme nor reason. 1y

CBee @squirrelbrain it‘s strange! You‘d think that would be obvious - but maybe the staff took all the PPE too? They also took all of the vaccine, which is weird. 1y

DebinHawaii I kind of answered this question on Q2 I guess as to whether I would try to go out on my own & I‘m not sure as the outside seems pretty bad & not knowing whether you are really immune or not. The PPE is a good point @CBee I also would think there would have been more “attacks” or looting on the hospital mentioned (because wouldn‘t you go there first?) but I guess with confusion part of those infected maybe not. Lots of ??? but I‘m intrigued …⬇️ 1y

DebinHawaii … so far & interested to see where it goes. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1y

Megabooks @batsy I think not seeing the worst of it took a lot of the punch out of the pandemic and made this a more boring book for me. 1y

Christine I very much have no idea what I would do, TBH! 😝 Interesting to think about how much capacity for altruism each person might be able to find in such a situation. (Interesting and also disturbing, including in the context of our own pandemic.) I loved the depictions of the outside, though I would have liked even more detail. 1y

squirrelbrain Yes, that is an interesting point about altruism @christine - it feels like all of the characters are only thinking of themselves at the moment, but how many of us would do differently if we were in the same situation? 1y

Hooked_on_books This pandemic feels solidly fictional, since the timeline is far too compressed. Even a highly transmissible virus like measles takes time to get through the population. You wouldn‘t have things like CNN shutting down in just a week. But that adds to the urgency, so I get it. I would go outside when the food was getting low but not sure I‘d do so sooner. Why risk it even if I may be immune? The violence of people is a real risk. 1y

CBee @DebinHawaii I‘m really intrigued to see how it ends, it was actually hard for me to stop reading! 1y

Chelsea.Poole @christine yes! I am invested in the pandemic in this book—I‘m over halfway and hoping we get a little more of it! Makes me want to read more dystopian fiction. I have no idea what I would do in Neffy‘s shoes, though it does make the most sense for her to go out looking for supplies. 1y

Megabooks @Hooked_on_books agree. This wasn‘t believable from a medical standpoint. 1y

batsy @GatheringBooks @Megabooks Agreed on both counts. I too felt that seeing the pandemic through Neffy's eyes in her somewhat captive state means that we didn't know what was really at stake "out there". And that would have been fine if the book focused on the dangers of the inside world, but that too was robbed of its power by the Revisitor subplot. In the end it was neither here nor there. 1y

BarbaraBB @DebinHawaii I don‘t think other people knew that is it a hospital, wasn‘t it a secret location? But you are right there would be more looting I think, in general. There doesn‘t seem to happen much in the streets. 1y

BarbaraBB @CBee Great point about the PPE! Another plot hole indeed! 1y

CBee @BarbaraBB I‘m curious if any of the plot holes will be resolved 🤨 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures I feel like pandemic novels hit differently now. BC and AC - Before Covid and After Covid. I think my expectations of what a pandemic is, and how people react have vastly changed. This feels much less reality based now. This idea that it would spread so so fast, and everything would just be a wasteland, and the nurses would abandon everyone. Which makes the whole thing feel more like a speculative fiction, especially adding in the revisitor. 1y

squirrelbrain @Hooked_on_books @ChaoticMissAdventures - interesting thought about the speed of spread of the virus, plus Shawna I really like your point about the nurses abandoning everyone; that was certainly proved not to be the case during COVID. 1y

Hooked_on_books @ChaoticMissAdventures @squirrelbrain Also, the nurses (and doctors) are working on the vaccine—the one thing that might save people. So while there may have been some who left, it stretches credulity that they all would have done so. 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures @Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain and where are they going? Out there where the virus is raging? Not one of them was like, "Yeah I am just going to stay locked in this building with these people and get rescued by the army" (the army I don't believe is coming) ? 1y

Kitta @HookedonBooks @squirrelbrain @Megabooks as a scientist I was happy about how much of octopus science was correct and angry at how much of the vaccine/pandemic science was just false and not the way viruses or clinical trials work. It was frustrating. I‘ve worked on trials before and we‘d never give someone a deadly virus, even if we did definitely not the day after inoculation with a vaccine! They take time to work! So I agree. Not believable. 1y

Kitta I felt it portrayed us, in the medical/scientific field, badly. I had to work through the pandemic (cancer research) and we didn‘t give up! Even when things were unknowable, we showed up. Maybe if the virus was killing people like in the book we would have slowed non-vaccine/treatment research, but I doubt it would have stopped altogether, I agree with what @HookedonBooks said. (edited) 1y

squirrelbrain @Kitta - it will be good to get your views on the octopus science side of things next weekend…there *may* be an octopus-related question. 😃 1y

Megabooks @Kitta yeah, I get creative license but both this book and another I recently read (tagged) got SO MUCH wrong scientifically as far as disease transmission, care of sick folks, medical ethics, etc. it was just mind boggling! DVM here 😁🐾

The Dreamers

(edited) 1y

Kitta @squirrelbrain Ooh 🐙! 1y

Kitta @Megabooks exactly! If it‘s going to be science or speculative fiction at least make it make sense! I‘ll steer clear of that one if it has the same problems. I did enjoy this one but the premise and science bothered me. On another note my kitties got spayed on Friday and I love my vet! It‘s such a hard job according to my friends that went into it. So thanks for keeping our animals healthy! 1y

39 likes44 comments

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

We start to learn about all of the different characters in the group.

Would you be drawn to any of them or even want to be friends with any of them?

Leniverse I wouldn't want to be friends with any of them. Piper especially seems utterly deranged and potentially dangerous. I'd be resting up, finding a weapon and then I'd take my likely immunity and hightail it out of there. I might bring them back some food, sure, and then I'd pretend to go back out for more and just leave before they decided to lock me in a room and extract my blood or whatever. I wouldn't want the army to come and "rescue" me either. 1y

JamieArc At this point I don‘t really like any of them. I‘m not sure if the author tried to make them unlikeable, or tried to make each of them have very defined quirks, but it feels a bit much. I thought I would like Yahiko more but that is not turning out to be the case. 1y

GatheringBooks No redeeming qualities at all among all the characters in the story. Everything feels flat and just improbable to me. I agree with @Leniverse that I probably wouldn‘t trust any of them at all. 1y

See All 28 Comments

Megabooks @JamieArc yes, they all seem manipulative and weird. A lot of them are too unlikable for my taste, and I can generally get behind unlikable characters. This book isn‘t going the way I hoped. 1y

Bookwormjillk I‘m not a fan of any of them either. In the last book we talked about if Covid was needed for the plot and I thought it was, but in this book whatever super bug killed everyone doesn‘t seem necessary. It‘s just dysfunctional people trapped in a building. 1y

julesG I wouldn't want to be friends with them. Piper seems like she has something planned that might not be to everyone's benefit. 1y

CBee The only person I might kinda like is Leon, but even he seems somewhat manipulative. I would either leave asap or stay, try to steal a bunch of Yahiko‘s loot, and lock myself in a room until it blows over 😂😂 1y

LaraReads Yes, not a fan of any of them at the moment. They are all quite unhinged for it only being a little over a week past the unexpected events. However, it is unclear how long they have all been living in fear of this virus. And we all know what that can do to us! Maybe this extreme event just finally set them over the edge. At the halfway point, only Leon seems to have any likability for me. And that might change. 1y

Soubhiville I agree, they all seem untrustworthy and I don‘t like them. As @Leniverse said, I‘d be looking for a chance to duck out. No thanks Army or any other official “rescuers”, I‘d want to see what the situation out there is myself. 1y

sarahbarnes Her sense of being outside of the group creates a dynamic where I wouldn‘t trust anyone. I imagine it would be extremely stressful to be in such an environment and I‘m guessing that is contributing to how everyone is acting. But, I don‘t really like anyone there. 1y

jlhammar Yeah, I didn't really care for any of the characters either. I can't even say I liked Neffy all that much. Wouldn't want to be stuck with that lot. I agree with @GatheringBooks about it feeling flat. 1y

batsy I agree with @GatheringBooks it felt flat and improbable. I get that the idea was to heighten Neffy's sense of being an outsider and the sense of danger, but the characters felt so underdeveloped; neither interesting nor strange nor scary, just a bunch of annoying people. And there's nothing wrong with them being unlikeable, but I found them boring to boot 😬 1y

Meshell1313 @JamieArc I totally agree and thought Yahiko would be her go to person but it seems like she is forming a bond with Leon which may or may not be a good idea. 1y

Meshell1313 @Leniverse Piper def seems unhinged. 1y

CBee @Meshell1313 I think Leon has some sort of motive and it doesn‘t feel like a good one. 1y

TheKidUpstairs They almost feel like characters in a noir, hiding their shady nefarious motives. I'm hoping we learn more about them in the second half. I've really enjoyed reading this first half, but there's a lot that I hope gets developed or firmed up in the second half. There are a lot of questions that I'm not sure the author has answers to... 1y

squirrelbrain That‘s an interesting comparison @Bookwormjillk - one book that didn‘t need a pandemic to make it a good book, and this one that, right now, feels like it doesn‘t need a pandemic either. 1y

Deblovestoread I agree with @Leniverse I‘d be making a plan to GET OUT…and agree with others about the other characters…unlikeable and boring and I wouldn‘t trust any of them. 1y

DebinHawaii @TheKidUpstairs I agree—I am interested in learning more about them & wondering how it will come together in the second half. I am liking it too & hoping the author can stick the landing. 1y

DebinHawaii The environment sets it up to be isolating & I‘m already an introvert so I think I‘d want to be getting out & away from the rest of them & definitely not trusting them at all. (I think Leon going into her room while she was out of it or sleeping & reading her notebooks & then taking one was the worst for me!) 😱 On the other hand, “outside” seems pretty bad too & I wonder if I‘d be brave enough to just leave although there‘s none of them I‘d take. 1y

Megabooks @DebinHawaii I think being stuck with people day in and out with no sign of relief is an introvert‘s nightmare!! Especially if they aren‘t good people like these seem to be. 1y

Christine They were all awful! But you do have to wonder how any group of (young) strangers in this terrible situation might behave. One hopes for better, but 🤷‍♀️. 1y

Hooked_on_books I find the other characters interesting. After all, what would a person‘s motivations be for getting a vaccine never used on people followed by purposeful exposure to a deadly virus? That‘s an interesting selection criteria for a group! I‘m certainly interested to learn more about them, but not sure how much of that will happen. This seems very much like Neffy‘s story. 1y

squirrelbrain That‘s an interesting thought @Hooked_on_books about the other character‘s motivations; I wonder how much more we will find out about them? 1y

Chelsea.Poole When Neffy came to they could all introduce themselves and we could learn more about each of them with Neffy. It seems that she just jumps right in with Leon‘s Revisitor and interactions are minimal so motivations, as @TheKidUpstairs mentioned, are unknown. Seems as though we have two books here (Greece scenes vs pandemic), mashed together. I‘m interested in both, but our camp discussions are helping me realize the big issues with the book! 1y

squirrelbrain These discussions always bring so much more out of each book don‘t they? @Chelsea.Poole 1y

BarbaraBB @Chelsea.Poole @squirrelbrain the discussion definitely adds to the book but still I don‘t feel any sympathy towards any of the characters (except Neffy herself) and what‘s worse, I agree with @batsy I am not interested in them at all!! 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures I agree with @batsy I am finding the other characters to be a bit flat and boring, even while they are as @Leniverse says unhinged. Piper is I guess our villain along with the virus. It is obvious we cannot trust her. I don't understand why they think anyone is coming to rescue them? I would like some sort of sign to understand that logic, I think I would make a run for it, the revisitor seems to be the only reason for her to stay. 1y

39 likes28 comments

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

Welcome to our final book on #camplitsy23 !

Just as a reminder, this week we‘re discussing up to the end of Day Nine in the book, so please try not to post spoilers if you‘ve read any further.

I‘m out and about today so won‘t tag questions 2 and 3 so please look out for them.

squirrelbrain
@jlhammar @JulesG @julieclair @Kangaj1 @Addison_Reads @AmyG @batsy @Bkclubcare @Bklover @Kitta @Julsmarshall @BookBosomed1 @BookNAround @Books_et_al @Bookwormjillk @Caroline2 @CarolynM @Catlass007 @CatMS @Cbee 1y

squirrelbrain
@TrishB @YourFavouriteMixTape @ChaoticMissAdventures @Chelsea.Poole @Christine @Cinfhen @Cseydel @Cuilin @Dabbe @Kempfme @Kimberlone @Kristy_K @LaraReads @Larkken @Laughterhp @Leniverse @willaful @KarenUK @Monalyisha 1y

See All 48 Comments

squirrelbrain
@LeticiaToraci @Lizpixie @Magpiegem @Merelybookish @Meshell1313 @MicheleinPhilly @MittenGirlPeach @Oryx @Peaknit @quietjenn @RaeLovesToRead @Read4life @youneverarrived
@RebelReader @rockpools 1y

GatheringBooks Thank you for hosting! 💕 The Revisitor as a plot device just didn‘t make sense to me, truthfully. The science is unclear - and it‘s hard to suspend disbelief, too many loose ends. I probably wouldn‘t use it if I had the opportunity. I think I find the Mirror of Erised in Harry Potter more credible. 1y

Kitta I actually liked it, although I thought of it as just a way of dreaming and remembering the past, not something scientific - more like hypnosis or magic. I spent a lot of the pandemic having nightmares and something like this to take me to a good memory would have been great. 1y

Leniverse I love speculative fiction and science fiction, but I find that the Revisitor is a bit too speculative and not enough science. I wonder why it is in the story, it must be a plot device but is it just there to give us the memory of animals? I would be tempted to try it to get to sit in my maternal grandmother's kitchen again, before she got Alzheimer's. But it would be bittersweet. 1y

Oryx Although I loved the book, I don't think the revisitor device was needed. Would have been just as good with flashbacks. It added a level of implausibility. 1y

JamieArc I like the bits where she goes to Greece. It provides the reader with a break from the bleak building the MC is stuck in. I‘m curious if it‘s actually integral to the plot moving forward. I think that it would depend on the memories I was taken to. I would love to be in France again, or walking the Camino but there are certainly other memories I wouldn‘t want to revisit. 1y

Megabooks @Oryx totally agree! Regular flashbacks would‘ve been fine. Plus, why did he take it to a vaccine trial? So weird that it would just be there in his luggage. Weirdly convenient…🤷🏻‍♀️ And I‘d probably be too freaked out to use one. 😂😱 1y

TheKidUpstairs @Megabooks i found it weird that he'd have it there, too. Why would they let him bring it into such a controlled environment? 1y

Bookwormjillk @Megabooks lol that‘s a really good question! 1y

GatheringBooks @TheKidUpstairs exactly! Too many unanswered questions - it‘s just not as airtight and believable as it should be. 😭🤷🏽‍♀️ 1y

TheKidUpstairs @JamieArc I like the memories of Greece, too. And like you said, I'm really interested to see how it works into the rest of the plot (at the moment, I don't really know why the memories are part of the story). But like most others are saying, the Revisitor itself pushes the story out of the speculative sphere. It feels a bit too "Deus ex Machina" for me. 1y

julesG @Oryx Yep, flashbacks, dreams, or whatever would have worked better than the Revisitor. It was so obviously used as a plot device that it was one of the reasons I'd give the book not more than 3 stars. 1y

Leniverse @Megabooks I didn't even think of that, but yes it's super weird that they would confiscate snacks but let someone keep an under-developement machine prototype. 😂 Thinking about questions 2&3, I guess we have the Revisitor instead of flashbacks because Neffy gets addicted to it and so is less likely to leave their scheming, manipulative arses behind. 1y

CBee I‘m actually really liking the book so far - I even read past the first assigned part and didn‘t even realize it 😂 I could see how flashbacks and dreams could work better, and it is odd that Leon just has that with him during a vaccine trial…..but I‘m interested to see how it plays out. And I‘d use it, to be with my parents again 💚 1y

jlhammar The Revisitor element wasn't all that successful for me. I agree with others that flashbacks would have sufficed. Maybe if Neffy had been older and maybe if they'd been further into this isolation (a few weeks is nothing) it might have been more powerful for me as a reader? Revisiting things that only happened to her a few years ago or to people she just saw days/weeks ago (in some instances) just didn't pack the punch it could have. 1y

LaraReads @Kitta agreed! I feel like it is used in multiple ways. One to make us understand how Neffy actually feels about her past and take us to those moments with her. It almost feels like we are there revisiting with her & it feels more real. And sometimes really happy & sometimes really sad. Made me feel much more than a flashback would have. Plus knowing how desperate she is to go back adds to that.And two, to connect her more to Leon and that place. 1y

Soubhiville It is strange that he was allowed to have it with him @Megabooks . I wondered as I read this part whether I would want to try it. I guess I might, to see my grandmother again. But I have a feeling with my skepticism it probably wouldn‘t work on me. 😆 I agree that flashbacks would have worked as well and wonder where the author is going with this. 1y

jlhammar An interesting concept though. I can see how it would be very tempting to revisit times with loved ones who have passed away. Or if you are unhappy in your current life, to “escape“ to what you saw as a happier time. I have a hard time seeing a lot of good coming out of something like that though. I would probably be very reluctant to try it myself. 1y

sarahbarnes Agree with what a lot of folks have said here. It was also strangely convenient that it sounds like it didn‘t work for most people, but works for her. But, I did like the breaks in the day to day bleakness of her situation. 1y

sarahbarnes Hard to say if I would use such a thing. I don‘t think so - it feels too painful to go back and revisit things you can‘t change, I guess. 1y

batsy I agree with the comments that as a plot device, it was a stand in for flashbacks. I could have missed any subtle indications because I had a hard time focusing on the book, but it didn't seem to provide anything beyond the reader getting to know Neffy via her past. As for using it myself, I would be incredibly tempted to, but it feels extremely dangerous. Memories can be a trap, sometimes. I would do my best to not use it, I think. 1y

Meshell1313 @jlhammar totally agree. It had the potential to be more effective as a plot device. I would for sure use it though- why not? Curious as to how this book is going to end. 1y

Deblovestoread I loved the scenes in Greece, felt almost like I was visiting while Neffy revisited. But having that technology be allowed in the door did not fit and it seems a strange thing to pack when it‘s had so little success. I would be tempted to revisit to be with my grandmother or my mom again but not sure I would. 1y

squirrelbrain I agree with many of you; I loved the scenes in Greece but felt that the Revisitor seemed like a clumsy way of getting us and Neffy there. It needed to be more ‘something‘, whether that was more science fictiony or not I can‘t quite work out. 1y

Chelsea.Poole It felt a bit like “oh here we are in this boring place isolated from the world due to a pandemic, what a coincidence—I have this machine to help us escape under my bed, let‘s try it!” Lol. Though I see the issues with the Revisitor and the way it‘s used in the book, I‘m still looking forward to finishing the book. I am enjoying it more than most. 1y

Chelsea.Poole It‘s an odd thing, thinking about revisiting the past…I‘ll never be that “me” again. Intense feelings from the past won‘t hit the same way now. I‘ll be the 35 year old woman, not the clueless little girl, starry-eyed teen, or idealistic twenty-something revisiting these core memories. At least, that‘s what‘s going on with Neffy in the book: both of her selves are there during the flashbacks. I think it‘d just make me sad. 1y

DebinHawaii I don‘t mind the Revisitor & liked the scenes in Greece & how they are helping us learn more about Neffy, but it is awkward & “clunky” how it was introduced & got there. It would have made more sense to me if Leon had found it at the hospital. I don‘t know that it‘s necessary (at least yet) to the plot. I‘m not sure that I‘d use it if I could. I‘d like to go back & spend time with my mom & dad but I think I‘d find it too sad to be yanked back out. 1y

Laughterhp Her memories aren‘t that interesting but I am wondering what‘s going on with her father, since she‘s so focused on him. 1y

Megabooks @jlhammar I agree that it‘s an interesting concept, and perhaps better explored in another book (imo). It would be nice to visit loved ones who‘ve passed. I would‘ve liked to meet my mother‘s parents, who died before I was born. But I guess if I was revisiting my own life that wouldn‘t be possible. 🤔🤔 1y

Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole true! It would be odd visiting teenage Meg as 43-year-old Meg. What you remember of those years isn‘t necessarily how it was. I think there are time in my life that seemed perfect, and I‘m not sure I‘d want to spoil those memories by seeing them as an older person that would have such different reactions. 1y

Christine I didn't mind the Revisitor, though I do think everyone's point that it was clunky and/or unnecessary is well-made! I just went with it (and everything else in the book, really) and I think mostly found it to be an interesting character development factor re: Leon. Made me curious to know more about his backstory! 1y

Hooked_on_books I have mixed feelings about the Revisitor. On one hand, her memories with it are rich and interesting and it‘s giving her something to focus on. On the other, as many have said, what is it doing in *this* book. It doesn‘t fit or make sense. As for me, I wouldn‘t try it. I prefer to look forward than back. 1y

squirrelbrain @Megabooks - good point Meg. Perhaps more depth of exploration of the Revisitor in a different book might have made it more believable. 1y

squirrelbrain @jlhammar I think I‘d be too frightened to try it myself, and I‘m not sure that she has any control over where / when she goes, even though there appears to be some kind of timeline. 1y

BarbaraBB @Megabooks So true! And who would je use as a test person while being in isolation? It felt quite lazy, the whole Revisitor part. And indeed, flashbacks would have worked better 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures I am a day late, but I am realizing I am in the minority. I liked the Revisitor plot point. I have a very hard time with too many flashbacks and back and forths, not because I cannot follow along, but more because I get annoyed and want people to pick a lane. But here somehow it worked for me. Cutting things into chunks, normal current day, the letters to H which seem to focus on her career and octopus path, and then her personal path w/ device 1y

ChaoticMissAdventures I have a terrible memory, so I think the revisitor would be interesting to try. Neffy seems to remember all of these times and remember what is coming, but I wonder if someone like me who does not have many detailed memories how it would work, if it would work at all. It makes me wonder if it is more apt to work on people with good memory ability. 1y

squirrelbrain You are really in the minority about the Revisitor aren‘t you?! @ChaoticMissAdventures - I agree with you though about flashbacks and dual timelines; they often annoy me too. 1y

Kitta @CBee I thought I was the only one actually enjoying it so glad you agree! 1y

Kitta @squirrelbrain what happened to the other questions? I‘m not tagged and I don‘t see them under #camplitsy23? 1y

squirrelbrain @Kitta - they should just follow on if you do a search for The Memory of Animals book. I didn‘t tag everyone on the other two as I was out with very poor Wi-Fi. (edited) 1y

Kitta Ah okay I‘ll try that! @squirrelbrain 1y

CBee @ChaoticMissAdventures I liked it too 😊 1y

CBee @Kitta it‘s really intriguing and I‘m liking it quite a bit! 1y

45 likes48 comments

LaraReads

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

I think I‘m in the minority right now, but I am actually full on liking this book. I think I‘m a sucker for pandemic stories for some reason. I know for a fact I‘m a sucker for animal stories. So grateful to #camplitsy23 for bringing some books into my life this summer that I know I wouldn‘t have read without it!

JamieArc I‘m liking it too! 1y

TheKidUpstairs I've read the first half for this week's discussion and I really like it so far! 1y

LaraReads @JamieArc @TheKidUpstairs yes! I‘m finding it hard to stop halfway! But if I don‘t, then sometimes I get confused where I am for the questions & don‘t want to give anything away. 1y

BarbaraBB Very glad you are liking it!! 1y

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Deblovestoread

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

Dearest H, Is it possible to fall in love at 12? With an octopus?

Started last night for #CampLitsy. It‘s ok?

ChaoticMissAdventures I am reading this also. It has been interesting! 1y

42 likes1 comment

julesG

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

so-so

This was...

I don't know. I kept on listening to the end waiting for... something.

Would not have read it if not for #CampLitsy23.

@BarbaraBB @Megabooks @squirrelbrain

squirrelbrain I like your….. review? 🤣 Hopefully you‘ll still join in with the discussions over the weekend.🤞 1y

julesG @squirrelbrain Will try my best. Curious what questions you came up with. 1y

TrishB You finished though 👍🏻 1y

Susanita It kept coming off hold before I wanted to read it, but then it was still on hold as of yesterday, so I gave up on it. 1y

74 likes4 comments

Leniverse

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

That moment when you realise that your book and beverage are ridiculously coordinated, and you've basically become a living Costa advertisement in spite of only drinking their coffee once in a blue moon 😂

#CampLitsy

Caroline2 Ohhh be interesting to hear what you think of it. It seems to be a v marmite book. 1y

Leniverse @Caroline2 I'm only 60p in so far. I like the setup, but I'm undecided on the characters. Curious to see where it's going though! 1y

47 likes2 comments

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

This cover is just amazing! Can‘t wait to read this one!

#InvolvesAnimals
#BookBinge
#Aardvark
#BookMail
#TBR
#CoverLove

Eggs

Eggs Beautiful 🐘 1y

mom_of_4 Tell me if its good. I been seeing it a lot on here. 1y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @mom_of_4 I will!! 1y

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Laughterhp

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

Ugh… is this book worth finishing? I read the first part for #camplitsy2023 but I am struggling!

I‘m so bored and don‘t like anyone. Also, I‘m a bit confused about Neffy‘s boyfriend. And the stories are so boring. 🤷🏻‍♀️

TrishB I‘m not a fan either. Can‘t seem to pick back up. 1y

AmyG Ha, I think I made the decision this morning to officially bail. 😬 1y

LaraReads Ugh. Haven‘t started but this doesn‘t give me hope 🤣🤣 1y

See All 15 Comments

TheBookHippie I bailed 🤣😳🤷🏻‍♀️ 1y

vlwelser The boyfriend and the step brother are the same person. 1y

Laughterhp @vlwelser Okay! I thought so! But thought that was a bit weird. When she said she took a bath with her stepbrother, I was like wait what?! 1y

vlwelser You aren't alone. That was why I could answer without the actual question. 1y

Deblovestoread Welp, this does not bode well for me…. @TrishB @AmyG @TheBookHippie I‘ve been putting it off… 1y

Megabooks Two of three of your counselors weren‘t fans either. This is the third I‘ve read by her just this year, and the other two were great. 🤷🏻‍♀️ it gets A BIT better at the end, but I wasn‘t a fan. @squirrelbrain has some interesting questions coming up though. 1y

Tamra I‘d bail so you don‘t regret the time invested. I‘ve read it and it is definitely flawed, though I gave it a pick. I enjoyed the pandemic plot line, but not the revisitor/memory device. 1y

BarbaraBB I feel you! I liked the first part better than the second but it was overall very underwhelming 1y

squirrelbrain Why not wait until after this weekend‘s questions? Although, I think you‘ll be able to comment on the second week‘s questions too without having read the second half. 1y

batsy I finished, but gave it a pan. The book made me feel like I was trapped in someone's very boring dream. Your comment about the bath with the stepbrother is so spot on because it took me a moment, too ... Lol! 1y

Laughterhp @squirrelbrain That‘s what I was thinking I‘d do! Maybe the discussion will motivate me to finish. 1y

Bookwormjillk I'm almost done with the first half. It's very weird, but I can see some interesting questions coming from it. At least it's a quick read. 1y

61 likes2 stack adds15 comments

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

Next week marks the start of our discussions on the final book of #camplitsy23. I can‘t believe camp is nearly over for another year!

Next Saturday we‘ll discuss the first half of the book, up to and including the chapter entitled ‘Day 9‘.

We look forward to seeing you then!

squirrelbrain @Debinhawaii @Deblovestoread @DGRachel @eraderneely @ErikasMindfulShelf @GatheringBooks @Gissy @hes7 @Hooked_on_Books @ImperfectCJ @IndoorDame 1y

squirrelbrain @JamieArc @JenniferP @JenReadsAlot @Jess @jhod @jlhammar @JulesG @julieclair @Kangaj1 @Addison_Reads @AmyG @batsy @Bkclubcare @Bklover @Kitta @Julsmarshall 1y

squirrelbrain @BookBosomed1 @BookNAround @Books_et_al @Bookwormjillk @Caroline2 @CarolynM @Catlass007 @CatMS @Cbee @TrishB @YourFavouriteMixTape @ChaoticMissAdventures 1y

See All 19 Comments

squirrelbrain @Chelsea.Poole @Christine @Cinfhen @Cseydel @Cuilin @Dabbe @Kempfme @Kimberlone @Kristy_K @LaraReads @Larkken @Laughterhp @Leniverse @willaful @KarenUK @Monalyisha 1y

squirrelbrain @Ruthiella @SamAnne @Sapphire @sarahbarnes @sblbooks @Soubhiville @Suet624 @Susanita @Tea_and_Starstuff @TEArificbooks @TheAromaofBooks 1y

squirrelbrain @TheBookHippie @TheKidUpstairs @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @E.Bolhafner @sbolhafner @JoyBlue 1y

GatheringBooks Thank you for being such awesome hosts. Loved joining #CampLitsy23 this year. 💕 1y

BkClubCare This is the only one I didn‘t find in time 😢 (and then forgot all about 🤦🏻‍♀️) I will watch (as always!) with interest. It looks good. 1y

Soubhiville It‘s been a great summer of Camp Reading! Thank you so much hosts! 1y

Bookwormjillk Yay, on to the next plague book 😀 1y

peaKnit Placed my hold! 1y

CatLass007 Thanks to all of you for hosting #CampLitsy23📚💕 1y

Larkken Looking forward / sad to see it end! Thanks for hosting!! 1y

CBee @Bookwormjillk 😂😂😂😂 1y

CBee @squirrelbrain thanks for hosting 💚💚 @Megabooks @BarbaraBB 1y

Megabooks @CBee 🥰 it‘s been a great summer! 1y

Meshell1313 Can‘t wait! I‘m ready but sad this is the last one 😭 1y

BarbaraBB Sad indeed that this is the last one already! 1y

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Laughterhp

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

I have a friend reading with me this evening.

*Is still sitting on my knee as I post this.

Aims42 I am the worst with bugs! I would‘ve probably thrown my book, fallen off the chair, and ended up with a bruise 😂 1y

Laughterhp @Aims42 Haha I usually am too! But I love dragonfly‘s! I did yell when it first flew at me but we are best friends now. 😂 1y

Aims42 @Laughterhp LOL! I‘m glad it didn‘t startle you too badly and you got a reading buddy! 😍 1y

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CatLass007 I‘m awful about bugs. Always have been. I like the concept of dragonflies much more than I like the reality. 1y

dabbe Pretty high on my why-I-love-my-husband list is “Matt! Get this bug! Hurry! AUGH!!!!!!“ Though dragonflies are really cool--from a distance. 🤣 1y

Laughterhp @dabbe 🤣🤣🤣 I typically do the same thing! Especially if they‘re in the house. 1y

CBee How cool!! I love bugs - well, most of them. If I see a cockroach that dude is dead 😳😳😂😂 1y

70 likes7 comments

Cinfhen

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

I had such low expectations after seeing some Litsy reviews but I actually didn‘t hate this. Sure it had some issues and I‘m not sure I‘d rush to put this book in others hands but I found myself interested in where the story was going. I think it‘ll make for good #CampLitsy23 discussion 😎 But a strong #BorrowNotBuy

squirrelbrain Glad you (kind of!) liked it. 1y

swishandflick Just shot you an email! ❤️ 1y

Cinfhen Got it @swishandflick !! My pleasure 😊 1y

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BarbaraBB Glad you liked it! 1y

Cinfhen Im not sure I liked it but I didn‘t hate it @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB / I‘ve definitely read worst!!!! And I do think there will be good discussions 😄 1y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Yes! @squirrelbrain has come up with great questions again 1y

squirrelbrain I feel just the same, Cindy, not sure I liked it but didn‘t hate it. I‘d give it a soft pick. 1y

Megabooks Looking forward to the discussion! 1y

85 likes8 comments

Caroline2

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

This is dark, gritty and bleak. I absolutely loved it. It ticked all the dystopian boxes for me. I went in with v low expectations so I was pleasantly surprised.
Really enjoying campy litsy. What am I gonna read when it ends?!?! 😟 #camplitsy

Ruthiella You get a brief break and then we gear up for the real Tournament of Books starting in November/December! 😂 1y

Christine Yay, I really enjoyed this too! Was wondering if I‘d have any fellow likers at #CampLitsy ! 😄 1y

Caroline2 @Ruthiella Oh Yay! Can‘t wait. 😀 👍 1y

Caroline2 @Christine I know right?! I was shocked when I looked on litsy and saw loads didn‘t like it. It still amazes me when people have different reactions to books than me. You would have thought I‘d be used to it by now!!! 😂 1y

Christine LOL yes! I do love how Litsy reminds me daily that there‘s no such thing as a “bad” book and how any can be the right one for the right reader at the right time! 1y

107 likes4 stack adds5 comments

Kitta

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

Apparently I‘m one of the few people who enjoyed this #camplitsy23 read 😂

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A pandemic rages through the world and Neffy, a marine biologist, signs up for the first human vaccine trial. The book is bleak and almost dystopian. If you‘re a fan of exciting action, this is not for you.

I identified with Neffy. I worked in marine bio & love cephalopods. But while the marine science was correct, the vaccine science was not. It bothered me.

Caroline2 I just finished today, absolutely loved it! 1y

Kitta @Caroline2 Great to hear I‘m not the only one! I don‘t think the book is without problems, it could have been even better, but I enjoyed reading it! (edited) 1y

24 likes2 comments

Christine

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pick

This was dark and sad and full of characters making sketchy decisions. I liked it! It was a page-turner for me. Part of it might have been that I read it while my kids and I had COVID (mild cases, thankfully, but ugggh, we avoided it for so long! Oh well.), as the horrors of Fuller‘s pandemic make our pandemic feel less bad. Looking forward to what‘s sure to be an interesting #CampLitsy discussion. 😆

BarbaraBB Glad you liked it! Extra scary that you had COVID while reading it!! 1y

61 likes1 comment

Cinfhen

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

When your beach coverup perfectly matches your #BeachRead
I‘ve seen lots of pans for this book but so far I‘m enjoying it.
I‘m not sure how her attachment to an octopus plays into the rest of the story but I‘m willing to go with it for now.

Cinfhen Sorry you can‘t actually see the perfect match 🥺 what‘s going on @litsy 1y

JamieArc Oh, glad it‘s not just me! 1y

Erinreadsthebooks @Cinfhen Right? I hope they get that fixed soon. I feel like I‘m missing some great book pics! 1y

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Cinfhen I hope it‘s an easy fix @JamieArc @Erinreadsthebooks !!! 😅 1y

rwmg For me, on the website, it seems to be the only one where the picture is still missing , touch wood 1y

BarbaraBB This is what I found: If you're using the app, please visit the Onward Litsy on FB group to tell the technicians if you're seeing images. If you're not a member of the group, tell me here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnwardLitsy @JamieArc @Erinreadsthebooks @rwmg 1y

46 likes6 comments

Megabooks

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

pan

I didn‘t care for this at all. Clunkiest plot device of the year goes to the Revisitor. 🙄 Dull book that could‘ve been punched up by creating more depth in ancillary characters or idk some action. 😒 Neffy‘s brand of animal rights activism made me unsympathetic to her. (I think the opposite feeling Fuller wanted.) I hope the discussion at #CampLitsy23 endears me more to this book, but right now 👎🏻👎🏻. Gorgeous cover though!

Cinfhen, squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB

Cinfhen I just started today too but I‘m liking it - hahaha, I‘m not surprised 😁😘 1y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I liked the beginning too but ended up feeling similar to Meg! 1y

Cinfhen I saw @batsy gave it a pan too @BarbaraBB 1y

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batsy Nice! I love a satisfying pan 😆 1y

squirrelbrain Let‘s hope we can have some good discussions! 1y

Chelsea.Poole Oh no!!! 🙈 1y

Tamra The memory device didn‘t work for me either. Wasn‘t sure why it was even in it - I liked the characterization. 1y

Christine I liked it. 😬 Hope I don't have to be the sole defender at #CampLitsy! 🤣 1y

Megabooks @Tamra right? Just have flashbacks like a normal novel. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 1y

Megabooks @Christine there are some other people enjoying it, and I definitely welcome your input!! 1y

Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole really curious what you‘ll think! 1y

Megabooks @squirrelbrain I think we will! The diversity of our opinions is what makes CL great! 1y

Megabooks @batsy 🙌🏻🙌🏻😂😂 1y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen it wasn‘t until I got to page 200 that I really started hate reading! I have this a good shot but nope, not for me! 1y

TrishB Not sure I‘m making it to page 200, really not enjoying so far! 1y

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BarbaraBB

The Memory of Animals: From the Costa Novel-winning author of Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller

so-so

Like @megabooks and @batsy I am super underwhelmed by this book. Neffy is volunteering to test a vaccine for a deadly virus. While she is undergoing treatment the world outside comes to an end. Fuller doesn‘t get into this which I consider a missed chance. The few volunteers left are stuck in the hospital. We learn little about them, very boring. Neffy then somehow can revisit her past, which wasn‘t that interesting either. ⬇️