Book Review: Mostly Dead Things
December 10, 2020
- Mostly Dead Things
- Written By: Kristen Arnett
- Released: 2019
- Avaliable as: Book, eBook, Audiobook
- Feature Image found on Portland Mercury
- BookBrowse Review and Readalikes
Review: Floridian author Kristen Arnett’s debut novel, Mostly Dead Things honors the eccentricity of her home state but finds true heart. This particular story follows Jessa, a young woman in Central Florida, trying to figure out life after her father’s suicide. An initially dark premise, Arnett finds a delicate balance of levity and light in this book. Her writing style is marvelous, and challenges the reader to be sarcastic, toxic, forgiving, and darkly funny, all within the same page. From Jessa’s mother using taxidermy animals for inappropriate art installations, to her brother Milo trying to be a single father after the loss of the love of his life (and possibly Jessa’s life too), there is no rest and no avoiding the tension and love that her world brings.
Kristen Arnett is not only a best selling debut author. She is also a librarian, an essayist, and has another novel in the works for 2021. You can find her additional work here! Or check out the interview below to learn more.
Interested in more literature with a Florida twist? You can find more Florida writing below! Click on any of the book covers to find them in our collection, or read Arnett’s article on the subject with this link.
