Erin reviewed Mary Toft; or, The Rabit queen by Dexter Palmer
Review of 'Mary Toft; or, The Rabit queen' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This was so not what I expected, and I had a really good time. Having read Version Control before this, I didn’t expect humor. But this book made me laugh multiple times, and I think it would translate so well to film as a witty period drama that I would love to see.
Since Version Control is SF, I wasn’t sure whether Palmer would add a speculative element to the story, and I won’t spoil which way he went here.
While much of the book really felt like a bizarre romp, it’s also very thoughtful. Palmer used the Mary Toft story to explore belief, narrative power, darker human desires, self-deception. It’s meta in a way I had fun with (I normally avoid stories labeled “meta” but didn’t know about that aspect of this going in - plus it’s Palmer and I loved Version Control).
He also explores sexism and racism …
This was so not what I expected, and I had a really good time. Having read Version Control before this, I didn’t expect humor. But this book made me laugh multiple times, and I think it would translate so well to film as a witty period drama that I would love to see.
Since Version Control is SF, I wasn’t sure whether Palmer would add a speculative element to the story, and I won’t spoil which way he went here.
While much of the book really felt like a bizarre romp, it’s also very thoughtful. Palmer used the Mary Toft story to explore belief, narrative power, darker human desires, self-deception. It’s meta in a way I had fun with (I normally avoid stories labeled “meta” but didn’t know about that aspect of this going in - plus it’s Palmer and I loved Version Control).
He also explores sexism and racism of the time, though those are more secondary themes. It’s wild all he managed to touch on in just 300 pages. While the tone and narrative voice of Version Control is very different, I think in both books Palmer skillfully explores multiple themes in a way that ultimately feels intertwined successfully.