Flames by Robbie Arnott #19 of 2022 3.5 stars . An interesting concept, poorly handled. At first the idea of Magical Realism set in Tasmania intrigued me, and the change of voice for each chapter proved a novel approach allowing for a variety of styles, shifting from Hard Boiled Crime Fiction to Animal Fantasy to Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror. However, there were many chapters that felt tangential or unneeded, whose entire purpose was to communicate a single piece of information which dragged the narrative out unnecessarily. The opening story of the man and seal hunting tuna together was the highlight but felt like a different story altogether. The chapter told from the perspective of a member of the Country Womens Association was so poorly stylised it became parody, and the letters from the coffin maker were painful to get through. I’d be interested to see what Arnott is able to write once he refines this approach but this was lacking. . #flames #robbiearnott #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2022 #booksivedrawnin2022 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CjZ1r4RhVDt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
