March 9, 2021
Brood by Jackie Polzin
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
My Summary:
Thank you #NetGalley @DoubleDayBooks for a complimentary e arc of #Brood to review upon my request. All opinions are my own.
In Brood, an unidentified female narrator cares for a small brood of chickens. She describes the challenges of bad weather, predators, and inexperience. The story is comprised of observations of ordinary, daily life with a few reflections.
My Thoughts:
Writing and Genre: Brood is beautifully written with some lovely prose and features a unique premise. However, my reading experience was a bit perplexing because I kept thinking of it as a journal (nonfiction) when it is actually fiction. Also, because this is described as having rich reflections, I went into the read expecting more reflection. Rather than reflections, we get observations of every-day life routines in journal style writing. From the beginning, I was confused about the genre and the author’s purpose.
Character-driven: Readers who appreciate character-driven stories featuring plentiful observations of daily life might really like Brood. I have been known to appreciate a character-driven story, but I need a small plot to keep me turning pages. Wondering whether the chickens would live or die was the most intriguing part.
Making a Connection: Although parts of the story were interesting, I had difficulty connecting with it overall. I can connect with the task of caring for creatures in a general sense, but I felt little emotional connection with the narrator, her grief, miscarriage, household concerns, or her impending move. I do have chicken memories of visiting my grandma’s farm and watching her chase a chicken around the yard, wringing its neck, and chopping its head off. Then she’d plop the chicken into the kitchen sink and pluck the feathers. I can still vividly recall the smell of wet chicken feathers. I don’t remember having many experiences caring for chickens; however, I do remember being pecked on the nose once while gathering eggs! I can imagine if you’ve raised chickens or have been around them that you might enjoy parts of this story.
Recommended: Other readers have loved Brood. The person who recommended this to me reported that it would likely be her best read of the year. Every person has a unique reading experience and no two people read the same book. Fans of observational, character-driven stories and chicken owners might love this! Also, it is well written. I encourage you to check out more reviews.
My Rating: 2.5-3 Stars
Meet the Author, Jackie Polzin
Jackie Polzin is a writer currently residing in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband, two children and a small dog.
QOTD:
Is Brood on your TBR?
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Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.
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I agree- each person likes different things in books so some may love this one!
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There are numerous reviews professing the love!
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You’re so right about no two people reading the same book, Carol!
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The different reading experiences always amaze me!
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I usually dont review if I cant get it to 3 stars, you’re a lot more diplomatic than me!
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The quality of the writing easily brings it to 3 stars. I just didn’t resonate with it!
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Well this is a strange premise for a book. I would probably be in the same boat with you
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It was unique for sure!
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I’m terrified of chickens! My grandma had them growing up too and one attacked me. Just thinking about chickens freaks me out! 😂
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😂 I’m sorry! I was chased by a goose once when I was young and I’ve never forgotten the fear😱
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