Book of Human Skin
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Review
'This book is fabulous - funny, horrific, subversive - in short a wholly addictive read. I don't think I have enjoyed anything as much since Perfume' Joanne Harris 'If it doesn't scoop all the prizes, we live in an unjust world. It's an absolute corker ... It's years since I enjoyed a novel this much - or felt such strong envy of an author for having the breadth and richness of imagination to create such a world' A.N. Wilson 'This is, essentially, a love story told by a delightfully riotous collection of characters and voices ... Fantastically gripping' Marie Claire 'A witty, exciting, over-the-top page-turner which becomes increasingly addictive... Quite unlike anything else around - and all the better for that' Daily Mail
--This text refers to an alternate
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Review
'This book is fabulous - funny, horrific, subversive - in short a wholly addictive read. I don't think I have enjoyed anything as much since Perfume' Joanne Harris 'If it doesn't scoop all the prizes, we live in an unjust world. It's an absolute corker ... It's years since I enjoyed a novel this much - or felt such strong envy of an author for having the breadth and richness of imagination to create such a world' A.N. Wilson 'This is, essentially, a love story told by a delightfully riotous collection of characters and voices ... Fantastically gripping' Marie Claire 'A witty, exciting, over-the-top page-turner which becomes increasingly addictive... Quite unlike anything else around - and all the better for that' Daily Mail
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the first book that I have read by Michelle Lovric and I'm so glad I picked it up! Lovric's style of writing flows beautifully, and her language and descriptions are so vibrant and colourful - you are truly transported to Venice and Peru when you read it.
When you first start reading the book you are confronted with five characters introducing themselves in diary-style sections highlighted through changes in font. I was initially skeptical - other books I have read using this style have been jumbled and chaotic but Lovric mastered it! All of the characters had interesting sections and as much as I personally preferred those by Gianni and Sor Loreta there were none that dragged or failed to intrigue.
I did find the book uncomfortable, Minguillo's sections are truly sadistic and Sor Loreta's are positively frightful (to put it simply she is a beyond deranged nun) but at the same time they are strangely engrossing - I did have to put the book down in places to recover but I couldnt help but pick it up again five minutes later!
Cecilia Cornaro is a delightful character adding a dose of much needed wit - I only wish she was given her own voice in the story.
The only place I thought the book fell down was with Marcella's character. I didn't find her convincing and she didn't seem to portray the 'ferocious determination' outlined in the books blurb - throughout the story I wanted her to put up more of a fight. Realistically, I think anyone who has endured what she has would have shown more emotional development and a stronger resilience - I didnt find her wishing for Minguillo's survival after all of his tortures beliavable at all.
All in all it is a delightful read that will not fail to disgust and ensnare!
When you first start reading the book you are confronted with five characters introducing themselves in diary-style sections highlighted through changes in font. I was initially skeptical - other books I have read using this style have been jumbled and chaotic but Lovric mastered it! All of the characters had interesting sections and as much as I personally preferred those by Gianni and Sor Loreta there were none that dragged or failed to intrigue.
I did find the book uncomfortable, Minguillo's sections are truly sadistic and Sor Loreta's are positively frightful (to put it simply she is a beyond deranged nun) but at the same time they are strangely engrossing - I did have to put the book down in places to recover but I couldnt help but pick it up again five minutes later!
Cecilia Cornaro is a delightful character adding a dose of much needed wit - I only wish she was given her own voice in the story.
The only place I thought the book fell down was with Marcella's character. I didn't find her convincing and she didn't seem to portray the 'ferocious determination' outlined in the books blurb - throughout the story I wanted her to put up more of a fight. Realistically, I think anyone who has endured what she has would have shown more emotional development and a stronger resilience - I didnt find her wishing for Minguillo's survival after all of his tortures beliavable at all.
All in all it is a delightful read that will not fail to disgust and ensnare!
52 of 57 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you've never read a book by Michelle Lovric before, read this one. Read it first for the story, a heart-stopping journey of innocence and resilience struggling for survival against the kind of evil that makes Hannibal Lecter look cuddly. You'll need to keep putting it down to recover (especially when you get to the convent in Peru!) but you'll also have to keep picking it up again just to see what happens. I don't want to give away too much, but the ending is thoroughly satisfying and ultimately cleansing - and I would have wanted to strangle the author had it been any other way.
But I'd recommend reading it again anyway, just for the joy of the verbal pyrotechnics and the artistry that creates such evocative atmosphere. Lovric is already renowned for her powerful sense of place, but in this book personality breathes from the locations as tangibly as sweat oozes from the pores of the skin. Phantasmagoria worthy of Gormenghast but based firmly in a very real historical world, characters that speak in voices you'll hear in your head (and in your dreams afterwards), this book is a dazzling multi-media of a painting that combines the vision of 'The Old Curiosity Shop' (without the sentimentality of Little Nell) with the darkness of 'Justine'(without de Sade's salaciousness)and tosses the reader between light and dark, good and evil with the irritating effortlessness of a master.
This isn't a book for the emotionally squeamish, or anyone who doesn't enjoy digging below the skin of human experience. For anyone else it's simply unmissable. I will never forget it.
But I'd recommend reading it again anyway, just for the joy of the verbal pyrotechnics and the artistry that creates such evocative atmosphere. Lovric is already renowned for her powerful sense of place, but in this book personality breathes from the locations as tangibly as sweat oozes from the pores of the skin. Phantasmagoria worthy of Gormenghast but based firmly in a very real historical world, characters that speak in voices you'll hear in your head (and in your dreams afterwards), this book is a dazzling multi-media of a painting that combines the vision of 'The Old Curiosity Shop' (without the sentimentality of Little Nell) with the darkness of 'Justine'(without de Sade's salaciousness)and tosses the reader between light and dark, good and evil with the irritating effortlessness of a master.
This isn't a book for the emotionally squeamish, or anyone who doesn't enjoy digging below the skin of human experience. For anyone else it's simply unmissable. I will never forget it.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This isn't a full review just my thoughts having just finished this book.
I really got into it and was enjoying it greatly. There were strong and interesting characters and the structure of the storytelling through a number of characters and short passages was a good device for making the book difficult to put down.
All was well until I guess about 2/3 of the way through when it seemed that the publisher or author had deccided that the book needed to be finished and it rushed to what I thought was a predictable and very implausible conclusion given the actions and characters developed so well in the rest of the book. Once I lost belief in the action it made me look back and question the rest of the book. Would character x really have done y, wouldn't they have done z? The disbelief I had suspended came to the fore.
The writer clearly loves research. The detail of a surgeon's life, or a nun's, or a woman's in Venice, really added to the enjoyment. Sometimes though it seemed a bit forced and things shoe-horned in. The characters, the wicked one, the surgeon and the faithful servant were well drawn, the heroine rather less so.
Perhaps the point it failed for me was when the romance came to the fore, or was it just when strong characters started to behave oddly, or rather random plot devices were thrown in - the lost will?
Anyway - worth a read but not a 4.
I really got into it and was enjoying it greatly. There were strong and interesting characters and the structure of the storytelling through a number of characters and short passages was a good device for making the book difficult to put down.
All was well until I guess about 2/3 of the way through when it seemed that the publisher or author had deccided that the book needed to be finished and it rushed to what I thought was a predictable and very implausible conclusion given the actions and characters developed so well in the rest of the book. Once I lost belief in the action it made me look back and question the rest of the book. Would character x really have done y, wouldn't they have done z? The disbelief I had suspended came to the fore.
The writer clearly loves research. The detail of a surgeon's life, or a nun's, or a woman's in Venice, really added to the enjoyment. Sometimes though it seemed a bit forced and things shoe-horned in. The characters, the wicked one, the surgeon and the faithful servant were well drawn, the heroine rather less so.
Perhaps the point it failed for me was when the romance came to the fore, or was it just when strong characters started to behave oddly, or rather random plot devices were thrown in - the lost will?
Anyway - worth a read but not a 4.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
'Enjoyed' this book
THis book appealled to me, but 'enjoyed' is probably the wrong word. The main narrator is a character with no redeeming qualities, he does warn you of this fact himself. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Deborah Stanley
Beautifully crafted novel...
While not as gruesome as the title would have you believe, The Book of Human Skin is definitely a good read. Read more
Published 1 month ago by G. MCGINTY
A Compelling Read
I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down. Each chapter is written from a different character's point of view and it feels like they are all vying for your attention. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Louise
I was sad when I'd finished it
Brilliant characterisation and use of location. It's warped in all the right ways. I'll read this one again and again.
Published 1 month ago by ph balance
Breathtaking drama, an unforgettable read!
This book was unbelievable, it's one of those ones that sticks with you for ages afterwards. You'll want to read it again and again. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bijoux22a
Amazing
For the first 30 minutes i thought I had made a mistake with this novel. The story is told through various characters and I had trouble remembering which was which. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Surrey Hills
The Book of Human Skin by Michelle Lovric
This book is wonderfully evil and excruciatingly funny at the same time! Set in Venice in the 1700's it follows the fortunes or ill fortunes of the Fasan family. Read more
Published 2 months ago by P. A. Cunningham
Thoroughly Enjoyable
I picked this book because of the excellent reviews. I usually read murder/thrillers, but felt like a change. Absolutely loved it!
Published 2 months ago by Helspence
Intriguing
This was on offer when I bought it and found the title intriguing. The first chapter almost put me off because of the style of writing but the chapters are short and the second... Read more
Published 2 months ago by M. Joseph
Gruesome but intoxicating!
I have just finished "The Book of Human Skin" and I'm really going to miss it. I think that is the sign that you've just read a really great book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. Cynthia Dommett
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