Comments on: Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

By: Jen Hubert

Jen Hubert — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:05:53 +0000

Caroline,

The writing is so lyrical in this that I had to re-read the opening chapter a few times before I truly understood what was happening. Most readers, if they can’t understand what’s going on, will simply pass on the book. In my experience, teens and tweens are great self-censors. I serve a range of 5-8th graders, and place “YA” stickers on the spine of the books that are best for 7th and 8th graders. Parents and teachers know this, and will check in with a student who brings home a YA book. It actually works pretty well at starting a discussion about why the student chose this book. That being said, Tender Morsels is not in our LS/MS library, but is in the HS library (9-12th gr.)

By: Caroline

Caroline — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:23:10 +0000

I loved this book, but even at a very liberal school I kept wondering to whom I would feel comfortable recommending this book (and I recommend things like Push and other very “uncomfortable” books to kids at our school). I guess it’s because it is a YA novel and the sex, gang rape, incest, and then voodoo-like spirits sodomizing the men involved in the gang rape seemed off the charts violent. I could have better seen this as an adult novel that I recommended to individual kids but as we don’t separate out books and we let any student 6th-12th take out any book they want from the collection, I feel a bit strange saying to a young adult that I don’t think a young adult novel is appropriate. I don’t know if what I’m saying makes sense but I feel like YA books now feel like they really have to push the edge with sex and violence in order to be popular and that makes them hard to recommend at times. With that said, the writing in this is so good, it makes me sad to think that kids may not give it a chance because of the opening scenes of sexual violence.

By: Jen Hubert

Jen Hubert — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:48:00 +0000

Hayley, I agree–this is DEFINITELY one I can’t get out of my head. So original. Margo Lanagan is one of my all time favorite authors.

By: Hayley

Hayley — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:10:51 +0000

This was excellent – but I didn’t realize it until a lot later when I couldn’t get it out of my head. The writing is wonderful…but it seemed a little crazy at first, maybe because the plot spans a couple of decades.
I’d recommend reading Lanagan’s Black Juice to get into the writing style, & then reading this. I didn’t know what to expect at first for Tender Morsels, & I think both the powerful writing & the fairytale plot struck me at the same time.
Anyway: both great books!!

By: Karyn Silverman

Karyn Silverman — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:23:48 +0000

Even more than Bearskin, Lanagan has done wonders here with the Grimm Bros.’ “Snow White and Rose Red” (which has nothing to do with the Snow White we all think of by default!). Here’s the link:
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/rosered/index.html

By: Walter Mayes

Walter Mayes — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:27:42 +0000

Right on! On my third read now. I have waited four years for a novel from her, and this exceeds my high expectations.

By: Sarah Flowers

Sarah Flowers — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:05:04 +0000

I totally agree. This is one of the best books I’ve read in years. I was blown away.

By: Jen Hubert

Jen Hubert — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:50:31 +0000

Hi Tadmack,

yes, even though I am a fan and should be used to being surprised by her unusual plots and fertile imagination, this one still floored me. I’m still reeling…it’s extraordinary.

By: TadMack

TadMack — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:59:00 +0000

WOW. Lanagan never pulls her punches, and her books of short stories are so very, very good that even though this sounds — a bit like something that will give me nightmares, I’m in — she always manages to pull you from horror into that sort of thoughtful place. Very cool.