Tender Morsels by Margot Lanagan

July 2009, David Fickling Books, (imprint of Random House)
496 pages
Review copy
YA

Cushions: 4/5
Paperclips: 4/5
Smiles: 1/5
Tissues: 2/5
Yunaleska's recommended rating ♥♥♥♥.5

At last I've located the misplaced book! Staring at the cover, I'm unsure who the girl is supposed to be. Is it Liga, who suffers abuse from her father leading to the birth of one of her daughters, Branza? Is it Branza, who for most of the book, once Urdda disappears, is a solitary sole taking comfort in the presence of her wolf companion? Is it Urdda, like Branza born from an unforgivable act, who is determined to seek out the world where the bear came from, a world which will bring out the truth of her family's idyllic existence? Or is it a mixture of all three, depicting the emotional traumas they faced?

The book's warning about not being for younger readers shouldn't be taken lightly. The issues cleverly explored in this book are written about in some detail. Rape, incest, abuse don't make for light reading. However, don't be put off by the subject area or some of the language. Margot Lanagan's imagination creates an intriguing story, involving magic, and with some scenes which for me could be classed as horror. (I jump at anything).

At first I couldn't quite work out why all the different points of view were used. They seemed jarring, I just wanted to learn about Liga's life. It was only when a major plot line was revealed that I understood the need for all the voices, and the story clicked into place. I wanted to learn more about the strange bear rituals, why there were two different realms to the world. I wanted there to be a happy ending for Liga, and for her daughters who suffered so much.

I feel that Liga's tale is one of survival. She endures horrific events, and manages to come out of it with her soul intact. She believes what she is doing for her daughters is best, although events change this outlook when wiser people explain the consequences of those actions taken when she was barely out of childhood.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, Margot deals sensitively with the darker, animalistic nature of humans. Unfortunately there are such people in the world who take what they want, not caring about who they hurt, so long as their desires are satisfied. Their victims don't have a magical world to retreat to which Liga has, they have to face the world far sooner than Liga did. This is definitely a story which will make you think about these issues, and realise it is the smaller acts of kindness which can me the world to someone.

If you liked this, try A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray or for younger readers Faerie Heart by Livi Michael