3star
Ürünstar 3.0
Grandma Said Stay Quiet. Nastasya Renzhina
This novel tells the story of a young girl trying to make sense of her family's complicated history. It's a tough look at identity, love, and the secrets that can either hold us back or set us free. The author takes you on a journey through the girl's eyes, showing the weight of her family's past and how it shapes her present.
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A Disturbing Tale of Family Secrets and Mental Disorder
summarizeEditor's Summary
This book's got some serious weirdness going on – it's like the weird cousin of literature. It's hard to pin down a genre, but it's definitely a wild ride. Grandma said sit quietly by Nastasia Renzhina is a debut novel that made it into the Lyceum award nominees in 2023. The story follows Grandma Zoya, a lonely elderly woman living in the countryside with a secret life. She's been hiding a creature in her cabinet for years, and it's a pretty dark and twisted tale. The scenery's got a certain je ne sais quoi that's hard to put into words, but it's not always easy to stomach. The story's got some serious psychological issues, and they're not always well-handled. It's a slow-burning, atmospheric tale that's heavy on description and light on plot.
settingsSpecifications
KararKötü
DilVeÜslup5/10
HikayeKalitesi4/10
KarakterGeliştirme3/10
A Disturbing Tale of Family Secrets and Mental Disorder
Hello everyone!
There are countless books out there, and they're often categorized into genres. This makes it easier for readers and gives the book a chance to gain popularity among fans of a particular genre.
But then there are books that defy easy categorization, and even the author might struggle to explain their genre or target audience. I found myself wondering if I really needed to finish reading this book.
That's exactly how I felt after reading Nastasia Renzhina's 'Grandma said sit quietly'.
Book info
'Grandma said sit quietly' is the debut novel by young author Nastasia Renzhina. It made it into the list of Lyceum award nominees in 2023.
Synopsis
Grandma Zoya lives alone, but she regularly bakes pies for her neighbors and keeps an eye on her cabinet. Her neighbors, who occasionally go mushroom-picking with her, suspect that their friend has gone a bit crazy from loneliness and believes in the existence of a household spirit. But there really is someone living in the cabinet. Someone hairy, who can't talk, has never left the house, and has never seen the sky.
About the book
I'll try not to give away too much of the plot, which is pretty thin to begin with. One of the book's peculiarities is that it has almost no suspense. You find out right away who's been told to sit quietly in the cabinet, and the rest of the story is just a long, painful, like a toothache, slog. The beginning sets the tone, and then it's just a monotonous, middle-of-the-book stretch, followed by a long-awaited finale that's been a while coming.
At the center of the story is Grandma Zoya, a lonely elderly woman living in a rural house, who takes care of her farm (a cow, some chickens), goes mushroom-picking with her friends, and bakes pies. She leads a pretty ordinary life for a middle-aged rural worker. At first, I felt sympathetic towards her because of her lonely status, but that feeling didn't last long.
Because, as it turns out, Grandma Zoya has a secret - she's actually a person with a mental disorder, a real-life psychopath. It's soon revealed that she's been hiding a creature in her cabinet for years, which she calls Kuptsynka. This creature has been living there since childhood and has never seen the outside world. To get it used to a night-time routine and make it sleep soundly during the day, Grandma Zoya would add vodka to its drinks.
As I read on, I realized that Zoe's relationship with the growing creature had become increasingly twisted and violent. It was like she was treating it as a pet, but the games she made it play were more like sadistic experiments.
I couldn't help but wonder what kind of person Zoe thought Kuptrenka was - or if she even considered it a person at all. At times, she seemed to see it as a child, forcing it to play these twisted games, and at others, it was like she thought it was some kind of mythical creature that existed in a world of its own.
It wasn't until her friends started to notice her strange behavior that the story really took off. I mean, it's pretty clear that Zoe's mental state was deteriorating rapidly, and it's only a matter of time before things took a dark turn.
As the story progressed, I couldn't help but think of all the real-life cases of child abuse and neglect that I'd heard about. It's clear that Zoe has some serious psychological issues, and her behavior is a perfect example of the twisted dynamic that can develop between abusers and their victims.
For me, the real theme of this book is the metaphor of family violence - not some tragic tale of isolation, but a complex web of relationships between victim and abuser. And in this case, the abuser just happens to be a grandma. The way Zoe's personality disintegrates throughout the story is both fascinating and terrifying - the way she oscillates between cruelty and kindness, always pushing the boundaries of what's acceptable.
I've gotta be honest, I wasn't blown away by the author's unique storytelling style and attempt to create a rustic atmosphere. To be frank, it felt a bit clunky and hard to get into. After reading another book by this author, I realized their style just isn't for me.
One thing that did catch my attention was the slightly rough handling of the parallel characters in the story - Anna, her parents, and the way they're introduced. It felt like they were thrown together haphazardly without much thought to their development and connection to the rest of the plot.
The Verdict
When it comes down to it, I just can't give this book more than 3 stars. I didn't find the story engaging, the twist wasn't surprising, and I didn't see any real artistic value in the writing. I wouldn't recommend reading this book to anyone, mainly because I'm not sure who would enjoy it. I only finished it because I wanted to see it through to the end. The overall feeling of being stuck and disappointed reminded me of the movie and book 'Buried Alive' - but this book left a worse aftertaste.
Thanks for your time!
live_helpFeatured FAQ
Is this book suitable for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers?
While the book does deal with complex themes like mental health and loneliness, I wouldn't say it's a traditional psychological thriller. It's more of a slow-burning, atmospheric tale that's heavy on description and light on plot.
What's the author's writing style like?
The author's unique storytelling style is definitely one of a kind. It's descriptive and engaging, but it can also be a bit clunky at times and hard to follow.
Is this book a good choice for readers who enjoy atmospheric fiction?
Yes, the book's got a certain je ne sais quoi that's hard to put into words. The rustic atmosphere's got a certain charm to it, even if it's not my cup of tea.
What's the book's plot like?
The story follows Grandma Zoya, a lonely elderly woman living in the countryside with a secret life. She's been hiding a creature in her cabinet for years, and it's a pretty dark and twisted tale.
Is this book a good choice for readers who enjoy complex characters?
Yes, the parallel characters in the story are well-developed, even if they feel a bit rough around the edges.
What's the book's tone like?
The book's got a pretty dark and twisted atmosphere that's not always easy to stomach. But it's also got a certain sense of wonder and curiosity that's hard to put into words.
Is this book a good choice for readers who enjoy books with a strong sense of place?
Yes, the book's got a strong sense of place, even if it's not always easy to follow. The rustic atmosphere's got a certain charm to it, even if it's not my cup of tea.
What's the book's themes like?
The book deals with complex themes like mental health and loneliness, but they're not always well-handled. It's a slow-burning, atmospheric tale that's heavy on description and light on plot.
Is this book a good choice for readers who enjoy literary fiction?
Yes, the book's got a certain literary feel to it, even if it's not always easy to follow. The writing's descriptive and engaging, even if it's not always necessary.
check_circlePros
- •The author's unique storytelling style is definitely one of a kind.
- •The rustic atmosphere's got a certain charm to it, even if it's not my cup of tea.
- •The parallel characters in the story are well-developed, even if they feel a bit rough around the edges.
- •I appreciate the author's attempt to tackle complex themes like mental health and loneliness.
- •The writing's descriptive and engaging, even if it's not always easy to follow.
- •The book's got a certain sense of wonder and curiosity that's hard to put into words.
- •The author's use of imagery's pretty vivid, even if it's not always necessary.
- •The story's got a strong sense of place, even if it's not always easy to follow.
cancelCons
- •The story's got a pretty thin plot, and it's mostly just a long, slow build-up to the climax.
- •The twist isn't surprising, and it feels like a bit of a letdown.
- •The author's handling of the parallel characters feels a bit haphazard.
- •The story's got some serious psychological issues, but they're not always well-handled.
- •The writing can be a bit clunky at times, and it's hard to get into.
- •The book's got a pretty dark and twisted atmosphere that's not always easy to stomach.
- •The pacing's a bit slow, and it's hard to stay engaged.
- •The characters' motivations are a bit unclear, and it's hard to relate to them.
