Thursday, February 05, 2009

Fantasy: Tender Morsels


Margo Lanagan is best known for writing eerie, atmospheric short stories. Her fantasy novel, Tender Morsels, is a dark and convoluted story based on the fairy tale of Snow White, Rose Red.
Lanagan's tale is for mature readers, as it involves themes of rape, murder and heartbreaking sadness. However, readers will be well rewarded for approaching these difficult topics, as the characters wrestle with their desire to retreat into a dream life of ease and kindness, where they are insulated from the harsh realities of life.
One of the most compelling aspects of this novel is the unique use of language. Lanagan creates her own dialect, which adds to the jarringly vivid sense of place. This is a rich tale about the human soul, and it explores the depths of cruelty, and the heights of human kindness. The message, in the end, is that somehow life is worth it.
Fantasy
Grades 11-adult
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