Comments on: The Land of Decoration, Grace McCleen

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 01:55:58 +0000

Huh. I had not heard of this one before, but it sounds interesting…and books recommended by one’s reading mother (or the reading mothers of others) are often very good. So I’ll look for it!

By: litlove

litlove — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:25:29 +0000

This reminds me of that sadness of the lemon cake novel, or whatever it was. It seems like magic realism-lite tends at the moment towards stories of children dealing with their suffering in ways that tap the power of the imagination. I’d like to see magic realism taking on the adults again. Adults can be magic realists too! 🙂

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:22:33 +0000

In reply to Iris. I think you would like it. Can't swear to it, but I think that you would.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:22:09 +0000

In reply to Charlie.

Oh no, it’s definitely an adult novel. I shouldn’t have said “cute” — it honestly isn’t. The only thing about it that suggests cutesiness of any kind is that it has a very young and very innocent narrator. It’s quite a creepy book in some ways.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:21:19 +0000

In reply to Sam @ Tiny Library. It's truly barely cutesy at all. I would recommend it -- let me know what you think!

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:20:51 +0000

In reply to NWK (@MumsyNancy). Oh, was she? Did you read an interview with her? I am curious to know more!

By: Iris

Iris — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 10:00:20 +0000

Hmm.. I wanted to read this book based purely on the title and one of the cover versions I really liked. You have made me think.. I am less enthousiastic perhaps? But I’d still like to give it a try? It sounds as if you weren’t wholeheartedly convinced and yet it was less cutesy (which I read here as meaning disappointing?) than you expected, I gather from your review? [Sorry about all those questionmarks]

By: NWK (@MumsyNancy)

NWK (@MumsyNancy) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 22:00:25 +0000

It’s definitely not YA. It’s not cute, either. Kind of bleak, but funny and interesting too.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 20:27:54 +0000

It sounds quite biblical but without being preachy at all, if that quote is anything to go by. Not so sure about the target age for it though, on one hand it sounds YA, on the other too cute for it.

By: Sam @ Tiny Library

Sam @ Tiny Library — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 18:57:35 +0000

I had decided against reading this book as I thought it would be cutesy too, so it’s good to see there are some darker elements too, to balance it out. I think I will give it a go after all.