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Pigtopia
Hailed as a "tour de force" (Los Angeles Times) and a "surprisingly sweet story" (Entertainment Weekly), Kitty Fitzgerald's Pigtopia is a spellbinding debut, featuring one of the most singular characters to come along since Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.Society has rejected Jack Plum. Born with a disfigurement, he is labeled either a monster or an imbecile by his abusive mother and thoughtless neighbors. But Jack has created a haven, his "pigtopia," a shelter where Jack hides from the world with his beloved pet pigs. Then Jack meets Holly Lock, a sensitive young teenager who lives nearby, and offers her a piglet. Together they forge an unlikely and beautiful friendship, until society and fate intervene and Jack's secret world is threatened by forces beyond his control.
In language of stunning beauty, Kitty Fitzgerald has created a startling original world with characters that will capture your imagination and your heart.
In language of stunning beauty, Kitty Fitzgerald has created a startling original world with characters that will capture your imagination and your heart.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
18 people are currently reading
668 people want to read
About the author
Kitty Fitzgerald
25 books7 followersKitty Fitzgerald is the author of four novels and four plays for the BBC and eight theatre plays. She was a finalist (second place) in the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award in 2005; received a Hawthornden Fellowship in 2005, a Time to Write Award in 2003, and a C.P. Taylor Playwriting Bursary; and won most original screenplay for the film Dream On at Le Baule Film Festival. Born in Ireland, she lives on Tyndeside.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
December 26, 2025
Jack Plum was disfigured from birth, macro-cephalic. He takes care of his crippled mother, who blames him for her miseries. His father, a butcher with ambitions to raise pigs instead of slaughtering them, vanished when Jack was a child. Jack is a familiar sort. He could be Boo Radley from To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the author’s favorite books. He is a social outcast, keeping himself away from a society that heaps nothing by ridicule and scorn on him, and is engaged by Holly, the Scout of this scenario. Or he could be the Frankenstein monster, a creature apart, learning the language of people without interacting with any but his maker, in this case his long-gone father and his mother, and yearning for a companion, but shunned for his ugliness. Unlike Shelley’s creation, this “monster” has constructed a subterranean space carved out of a field, a home for himself and his four-legged friends, relating to them as a tribe, finding purpose and comfort in their company in what he calls his “Pig Palace,” a safe, loving refuge that serves as the “Pigtopia” of the book’s title. He also has a rock to which he has attributed religious significance. He could be Benjy from The Sound and the Fury, a source of familial shame, but possessing a gift of being able to see into people more than others. Here, Jack sees the truth behind a malevolent character’s actions. These literary similarities made Jack seem familiar to me despite his outward strangeness.
Kitty Fitzgerald - image from The Royal Literary fund, where can find a brief profile of her - photo by Mik Critchlow
Also setting Jack apart is his language. Jack’s voice is in a pig-dialect, indicating his lack of formal education. It takes a while to adjust, but once one gets used to it, his language is quite understandable. Jack does see himself as a pig, for that is his only real social group until he and Holly find each other. How would a person speak, and think, whose only human contact was a mother who hated him and whose only friends were non-human? I found this an effective device for the most part.
The book is structured as alternating narratives, Jack’s and Holly’s. Holly is a bright, articulate prepubescent teen, with an interest in botany. She is a pure soul, besieged by a fair-weather friend, Samantha, and is less than thrilled by the boys in her circle. Jack, watching the world from his refuge in Pardes Wood, takes an interest in her. (as Shelley’s big guy is attracted to innocence) It is not long before they meet and become friends.
Pigtopia is primarily the story of Jack and Holly’s friendship, two isolated souls who see the magic in each other, despite their “outsider-ness,” and separation from the world. Jack is of indeterminate age when we first meet him. But he possesses a child-like innocence, so the two are temperamentally, if not chronologically well-paired. Both live with their mothers. Jack’s mother is a gorgon who abuses him while at the same time relying on him to take care of her, as she is a wheelchair-bound alcoholic in failing health who never misses a chance to blame Jack for her miseries. Holly’s father took a powder years ago. Her mother is dating again and that freaks her out, as she fears she will be abandoned if mom settles in with a new husband. Jack is afraid he will be institutionalized should anything dire happen to his mother. This gives the friends common ground, and their shared fear binds them even closer.
Samantha is the dark spirit here. She pesters Holly to be her friend, even though Holly does not really want her around. Then Samantha hounds Holly relentlessly, trying to discover the nature of her relationship with Jack, who is generally regarded as the town freak. (Boo)
It does not take a lot to imagine that things will get rocky. But amid all the abandonment fears, and concerns about potential exposure of their association we get to see both Jack’s and Holly’s true beauty, what makes them unusual and wonderful people. Jack is well aware that if the outside world becomes aware of his friendship with Holly she will suffer for it. Holly sees past Jack’s outer form to his inner beauty, strength, intelligence and kindness. That makes this a very moving story, for we know that their relationship is doomed.
Fitzgerald adds a nice touch with the use of several Tarot card scenes to prepare one for upcoming events. That works well. We see, through Jack’s eyes, what ails Samantha, giving her character depth, and Jack is also our conduit to a fuller look at Holly’s mother’s new boyfriend Antony.
While I did enjoy the book, I was not hog-wild about it. There was the odd twist and turn, but the plot seemed to plod, with too few surprises. It was also a bit of a stretch that Jack had the reading ability portrayed. It seemed to me that his father left the scene too early in Jack’s life for him to have achieved mastery. Of course Frankenstein’s monster made do with eavesdropping, so I guess this is consistent if one focuses on that parallel. I did like that Jack had his own form of religion. What subgroup, whether of small or huge numbers does not? Holly seems to parallel this with her faith in tarot cards. Finally, I was not thrilled with the ending. I got the impression that the author had run out of steam and needed to shut down the story. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Holly at the end. I found Jack’s ultimate pronouncements a bit jarring and the author’s resolution to the burgeoning crisis unsatisfying. So, I liked the book. There is much of value here. But there are elements that leave one wanting more. Overall then, my reaction to the book was sow-sow.
PS – here is interview with the author with the author. It casts a bit of light on this particular work.
Kitty Fitzgerald - image from The Royal Literary fund, where can find a brief profile of her - photo by Mik Critchlow
Also setting Jack apart is his language. Jack’s voice is in a pig-dialect, indicating his lack of formal education. It takes a while to adjust, but once one gets used to it, his language is quite understandable. Jack does see himself as a pig, for that is his only real social group until he and Holly find each other. How would a person speak, and think, whose only human contact was a mother who hated him and whose only friends were non-human? I found this an effective device for the most part.
The book is structured as alternating narratives, Jack’s and Holly’s. Holly is a bright, articulate prepubescent teen, with an interest in botany. She is a pure soul, besieged by a fair-weather friend, Samantha, and is less than thrilled by the boys in her circle. Jack, watching the world from his refuge in Pardes Wood, takes an interest in her. (as Shelley’s big guy is attracted to innocence) It is not long before they meet and become friends.
Pigtopia is primarily the story of Jack and Holly’s friendship, two isolated souls who see the magic in each other, despite their “outsider-ness,” and separation from the world. Jack is of indeterminate age when we first meet him. But he possesses a child-like innocence, so the two are temperamentally, if not chronologically well-paired. Both live with their mothers. Jack’s mother is a gorgon who abuses him while at the same time relying on him to take care of her, as she is a wheelchair-bound alcoholic in failing health who never misses a chance to blame Jack for her miseries. Holly’s father took a powder years ago. Her mother is dating again and that freaks her out, as she fears she will be abandoned if mom settles in with a new husband. Jack is afraid he will be institutionalized should anything dire happen to his mother. This gives the friends common ground, and their shared fear binds them even closer.
Samantha is the dark spirit here. She pesters Holly to be her friend, even though Holly does not really want her around. Then Samantha hounds Holly relentlessly, trying to discover the nature of her relationship with Jack, who is generally regarded as the town freak. (Boo)
It does not take a lot to imagine that things will get rocky. But amid all the abandonment fears, and concerns about potential exposure of their association we get to see both Jack’s and Holly’s true beauty, what makes them unusual and wonderful people. Jack is well aware that if the outside world becomes aware of his friendship with Holly she will suffer for it. Holly sees past Jack’s outer form to his inner beauty, strength, intelligence and kindness. That makes this a very moving story, for we know that their relationship is doomed.
Fitzgerald adds a nice touch with the use of several Tarot card scenes to prepare one for upcoming events. That works well. We see, through Jack’s eyes, what ails Samantha, giving her character depth, and Jack is also our conduit to a fuller look at Holly’s mother’s new boyfriend Antony.
While I did enjoy the book, I was not hog-wild about it. There was the odd twist and turn, but the plot seemed to plod, with too few surprises. It was also a bit of a stretch that Jack had the reading ability portrayed. It seemed to me that his father left the scene too early in Jack’s life for him to have achieved mastery. Of course Frankenstein’s monster made do with eavesdropping, so I guess this is consistent if one focuses on that parallel. I did like that Jack had his own form of religion. What subgroup, whether of small or huge numbers does not? Holly seems to parallel this with her faith in tarot cards. Finally, I was not thrilled with the ending. I got the impression that the author had run out of steam and needed to shut down the story. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Holly at the end. I found Jack’s ultimate pronouncements a bit jarring and the author’s resolution to the burgeoning crisis unsatisfying. So, I liked the book. There is much of value here. But there are elements that leave one wanting more. Overall then, my reaction to the book was sow-sow.
PS – here is interview with the author with the author. It casts a bit of light on this particular work.
July 19, 2019
Outcast and wounded souls find solace in a usual friendship, choosing to shun the unforgiving world that more often than not mistrusts them, not wanting to understand them at all, and ultimately mistreats them; the world wishing to remain blissful in its ignorance about these beautiful outsiders.
A retelling of Frankenstein? Could be, could be, it certainly had its array of hideous monsters, and I am not even talking about the deformed protagonist.
This is a haunting, heartbreaking, tale about friendship that will move you.
Absolutely loved it.
February 24, 2021
Aquí les dejo mi opinión de esta gran novela:
https://youtu.be/BcJSQkhZrxg
https://youtu.be/BcJSQkhZrxg
March 10, 2013
Este é um livro que nos fala sobre uma amizade improvável entre uma adolescente, Holly, e um homem de 30 e poucos anos que vive isolado do mundo por causa da sua deformidade física, Jack. Jack cria porcos e trata-os quase como sendo parte da família dele, eles são os seus amigos, os seus irmãos. Agora estão todos a pensar que isto é um livro sem nada de especial, mas é muito especial, a amizade entre o Jack e a Holly é muito bonita. O livro ao mesmo tempo que é doce é também muito violento, houve uma parte em que me senti agoniada e tive que pousar o livro porque estava-me a dar volta ao estômago.
Quanto às personagens gostei muito do Jack e da Holly, são duas personagens que vou guardar para sempre com muito carinho. O livro é cheio de passagens bonitas, alguns murros no estômago, algumas chamadas à realidade. É um livro sobre o poder da amizade. E o final acabou comigo, e mostra até onde pode chegar uma amizade.
Quanto às personagens gostei muito do Jack e da Holly, são duas personagens que vou guardar para sempre com muito carinho. O livro é cheio de passagens bonitas, alguns murros no estômago, algumas chamadas à realidade. É um livro sobre o poder da amizade. E o final acabou comigo, e mostra até onde pode chegar uma amizade.
August 18, 2009
This was difficult to read, much of it written in a made up dialect when told from the point of view of the young man with the deformity, Jack. One had to stop and interpret what was on the page, giving it a very choppy feel. In its attempt to be mystical and to promote tolerance of those who are different, it achieved only moderate success. This reader found it hard to accept most of the background and the reasons given for some actions were flimsy, at best. Certain threads were introduced and then left moldering on the vine. Other threads were woven deeply into the story and then abandoned. This was an interminably long read that would have been improved with a little more flesh on its spare bones and with a clearer telling. One wonders how the young girl who befriends Jack, Holly, will ever recover from these events, but this reader doesn't mean that to wish for a sequel.
July 29, 2011
Picked this book on the strength of the title alone. Found Jack Plum's mashed-up use of English created warmth and intimacy with the character, rather than the irritating affectation I feared it was going to be when I started.
Felt increasing dread for the fate of their beautiful fragile world as the story careered forwards. Have not been so moved by a book in a long time.
Felt increasing dread for the fate of their beautiful fragile world as the story careered forwards. Have not been so moved by a book in a long time.
February 17, 2016
Thank goodness I didn't give up on this book 7 or 8 pages in - which was my serious intention! The story is told from two points of view; one being Jack, a deformed man, who's speech is difficult to follow, and who's tale starts the book. Once I got past this tricky lexical issue, and the second protagonist was introduced, I became more comfortable, and the story flowed back and forth well. This book is not for the faint-hearted. It covers some serious issues - bullying, alcoholism, sexual assault and general extreme sadness; but also the beauty of friendship, tolerance, acceptance and love. This won't be everyone's 'cup of tea' and, actually, I'm not sure I would recommend it as it was hard-going, but I'm very glad I read it.
March 4, 2016
I was not expecting it to go as it did. About half way through it took a crazy turn and I didn't stop reading until I reached the end. The 4 stars are more for the creative story-telling rather than for the story itself. The story was fine. Sad. I'd say the overall theme was empathy. Everyone has their own shit kind of deal. I got the sense that we, the readers, were supposed to notice or learn a lesson by the end yet the main girl character did not learn anything important or lasting. An epilogue would have really worked for this book. ex. "I learned lessons and am a slightly better person after having gone through that shit show :)"
I loved the pigs.
I loved the pigs.
March 5, 2022
Es un libro muy entretenido con personajes memorables. Hubo una escena en particular que la sentí innecesaria, como que la autora quería impresionar y metió una escena muy desagradable que se siente completamente implausible y absurda, como metida a propósito para impactar al lector.
Disfruté la lectura.
Disfruté la lectura.
August 18, 2021
Very much a tale akin to Frankenstein. Somewhat hard at first to understand the first narrator's speech pattern, as it's written, but integral to understanding who the character is. Heartbreaking and heartwarming.
August 27, 2025
3,5 ⭐
Zu Beginn war ich mir sicher, dass das Buch ein Highlight werden würde, leider es hat mich gegen Mitte dann aber zunehmend verloren. Dennoch ein so interessant-anderes Buch, dass ich froh bin, es einmal gelesen zu haben.
Zu Beginn war ich mir sicher, dass das Buch ein Highlight werden würde, leider es hat mich gegen Mitte dann aber zunehmend verloren. Dennoch ein so interessant-anderes Buch, dass ich froh bin, es einmal gelesen zu haben.
October 23, 2023
Es el libro corto y me pareció un libro sin fin. Bien pudo ser un cuento y no una novela. Pero bueno ya por fin lo termine y si cumplí en no abandonarlo.
January 20, 2012
Wow. I wish I remembered where i heard about this young-adult book, I'd say "thanks" for turning me on to this book outside my usual circle of genres. However, saying Pigtopia is a Young Adult book it's like saying "Of Mice and Men" is a young adult book - yes most of us read it in high school, but it shouldn't stop there. No age prerequisites for the reader, I'd say. And I'd put this in the same category as "Of Mice and Men."
Uniquely written in two voices, a young woman and an older male - whose storytelling takes some getting used to. (but ultimately his voice is loud and clear - and appropriate for his situation in life.) Deals with huge issues, I've queried at least one young adult librarian about what she thinks which age is "appropriate" to read it (high school perhaps). I'd be delighted if my boys read this, a great story, beautifully written, wonderful natural history lessons taught through the tale.
Highly recommended. Just not sure who for...
Uniquely written in two voices, a young woman and an older male - whose storytelling takes some getting used to. (but ultimately his voice is loud and clear - and appropriate for his situation in life.) Deals with huge issues, I've queried at least one young adult librarian about what she thinks which age is "appropriate" to read it (high school perhaps). I'd be delighted if my boys read this, a great story, beautifully written, wonderful natural history lessons taught through the tale.
Highly recommended. Just not sure who for...
May 3, 2014
I really enjoyed the difference writing style of this book, there being 2 people telling the story covering their feelings, thoughts & being presented how they would 'talk' out loud. To me this made the book & characters more personal to the reader & I could understand & empathise more than if it was written in one style as the author writing the book. I also felt I had a connection with both Jack & Holly.
I've worked with, for & along people who are classed as backwards or do have learning difficulties as well as looking 'different' to the rest of the world and I find this story as a bit of a moral being you don't know of someone just by looking at them & never judge a book by its cover kind of attitude.
There's a few shocking turns in this book which I never expected but I understand why the characters thought the worse would happen so took had to take these chances.
It's a fairly short read, makes you think about people you have judged & has warmth of a new relationship.
I've worked with, for & along people who are classed as backwards or do have learning difficulties as well as looking 'different' to the rest of the world and I find this story as a bit of a moral being you don't know of someone just by looking at them & never judge a book by its cover kind of attitude.
There's a few shocking turns in this book which I never expected but I understand why the characters thought the worse would happen so took had to take these chances.
It's a fairly short read, makes you think about people you have judged & has warmth of a new relationship.
May 12, 2008
Started a while ago; now it's time to finish it..... (good beginning but school started)…
Wow. Well I finished it and it is truly amazing, horrifying and sweet. I do think that the cover quotation is amazingly accurate: "Satisfying and heartbreaking… This beautifully crafted story retells the classic lesson of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, with much of the innocence an horror intact." [Publishers Weekly]
I initially picked this up, thinking it is a young adult book, and I guess that is one of the more dominant thoughts that I have after finishing it: Would I recommend it to a young adult? I think I might, and probably to someone who can appreciate _The Book Thief_, as I think the writing and themes are as daring and intense (respectively) as those in the Zusak book.
Wow. Well I finished it and it is truly amazing, horrifying and sweet. I do think that the cover quotation is amazingly accurate: "Satisfying and heartbreaking… This beautifully crafted story retells the classic lesson of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, with much of the innocence an horror intact." [Publishers Weekly]
I initially picked this up, thinking it is a young adult book, and I guess that is one of the more dominant thoughts that I have after finishing it: Would I recommend it to a young adult? I think I might, and probably to someone who can appreciate _The Book Thief_, as I think the writing and themes are as daring and intense (respectively) as those in the Zusak book.
July 9, 2013
This was recommended to me by a customer who had purchased three of three of my recs for her so I figured I owed her. I got a little over 100 pages in before Jack Plum's narrative style started to grate on me. It was interesting at first but that kind of experimental dialect only works in small chunks. I also felt I knew where the story was headed and was fairly confident these characters get at least a half-way happy ending*, so I did not feel compelled to finish it. Decent story, decent writing, lots of tidbits about pigs, it drew me in but just couldn't keep me.
*seems like I was wrong about the half-way happy ending. Still don't care.
*seems like I was wrong about the half-way happy ending. Still don't care.
February 7, 2008
I read this in one sitting over an afternoon and evening.
The story of Jack Plum and Holly Lock unfolds intheir own language as each takes turns to tell their tale.
This author created a unique language for Jack Plum, her anti-hero.
I kept thinking about Jack long after I finished. And finally when the beauty and horror of it sunk in, I cried. No small feat.
This story and the characters are so strange and believable and touching, I panted on and on wanting to know what would become of them.
This writer is exceptional. I am definitely going to check out her other stories.
The story of Jack Plum and Holly Lock unfolds intheir own language as each takes turns to tell their tale.
This author created a unique language for Jack Plum, her anti-hero.
I kept thinking about Jack long after I finished. And finally when the beauty and horror of it sunk in, I cried. No small feat.
This story and the characters are so strange and believable and touching, I panted on and on wanting to know what would become of them.
This writer is exceptional. I am definitely going to check out her other stories.
March 1, 2010
jack plum is disfigured and hid away from the world. his mother is an alcoholic and constantly berates her "pigchild." jack grows up with love from his father, but his father one day leaves to never return. jack takes the few lessons his father taught him and begins to raise pigs of his own thus the title pigtopia. this is jack's safe world. he befriends sixteen year old holly lock and there is an undercurrent of sadness and displacement between them that links their worlds.
but their friendship is forbidden. no one can find out.
but their friendship is forbidden. no one can find out.
March 25, 2009
Terrible.
The unklikely friendship between Holly and her disfigured neighbor had potential to be a good story, told from both of their points of view. When Jack´s mom passed away, it became gruesome, cheap, and unconvincing.
Here´s a quote I found especially astounding: "There was this horrible lump in my chest, like someone had shoved a dead cat down my throat, and it was festering adn throbbing." This book made Death Match look good.
The unklikely friendship between Holly and her disfigured neighbor had potential to be a good story, told from both of their points of view. When Jack´s mom passed away, it became gruesome, cheap, and unconvincing.
Here´s a quote I found especially astounding: "There was this horrible lump in my chest, like someone had shoved a dead cat down my throat, and it was festering adn throbbing." This book made Death Match look good.
October 13, 2011
This was so unexpected, so bizarre, and so beautiful all at once. Very original and full of emotions, this is a gorgeously written book--once you get used to reading one of the narrators.
Honestly, I don't even know how to describe this one, but if you love language--and don't mind a bit of depression--this is an excellent book.
Honestly, I don't even know how to describe this one, but if you love language--and don't mind a bit of depression--this is an excellent book.
September 24, 2007
Yeah, I give five-star reviews to a lot of the books I read, but that's because I mostly only read books that are recommended to me by friends with impeccable taste. I'm an evangelist for this book--let me know if you want to borrow it.
August 15, 2009
I've been wanting to recommend this book to a friend and had a time trying to remember the exact title although I remember the story clearly. This was one of those weird stories that's just weird enough to have some potential for truth. I really liked it.
October 20, 2011
Like Frankenstein, a moral story, but the monster is created only in the minds of the people who don't know Jack, the main character. I found myself putting off reading the book in the end,only because it was becoming almost too painful. I didn't want my fears of how the story would end to be true.
January 25, 2008
Children can be such good examples of how people are at their natural state (i.e. when their actions can't negatively affect them).
May 9, 2008
Very dark. Should have put it down but I was hoping for a happy ending. Lesson learned: DON'T read anything about pigs!!
March 5, 2024
Yeesh - handily one of the worst books I’ve ever read. I honestly thought this was a “YA” book until the 14-year-old starts cutting up dead bodies and feeding it to the pigs. One character (the 14-year-old) is sensitive and bratty. The other character is a 30-year-old macrocephalic, intellectually challenged, hideously deformed guy who lives with a bunch of hogs - and has a platonic crush on the 14-year-old. The characters take turns narrating the chapters and the chapters that describe the internal dialogue of the pig-guy are embarrassingly poorly written and inconsistent - the character is supposed to be socially retarded and unable to communicate and he speaks in ridiculous baby-talk, creating neologisms all over the place, all of them some variation of “pig” or “hog.” It’s hard to describe how inane this is because the character says something like “The hogskull was filled with achythings when the newlight arrived through the window” and then he will say something like “My hogsnout identified a new scentsmell on the wind as it wafted gently across Pardes Woods among the hightrees and imperceptibly full of new colorscehemes” - no kidding it’s that bad. All the chapters narrated by the pig-man are insufferable. The story is full of logical holes. It has been described as a modern-day Frankenstein but this book is about as far from Frankenstein as it is from Pride and Prejudice. I finished this book as a hate-read.
October 4, 2020
La escritora Irlandesa narra la historia de Jack Plum, un niño rechazado por la sociedad porque ha nacido con un 'desfiguramiento', donde cuida de su mamá discapacitada en su casa aislada de la vida real y de los vecinos.
Jack construye un tipo de túnel secreto donde se esconde del mundo y disfruta de la compañía y el cuidado de sus preciados cerdos.
La repentina amistad con Holly Lock, una niña sensible que trata de comprender y entender la vida de Jack, desencadena un giro en la vida del protagonista.
En algunos momentos de la lectura pensé en abandonar el libro, porque no me generaba sensaciones agradables, porque es una lectura dura y es difícil tener empatía o seguir el hilo de los pensamientos de Jack. No obstante, decidí terminarlo (como siempre) ya que el libro cubre aspectos reales en la vida: abuso sexual, alcoholismo, bullying pero también amistad, amor y tolerancia.
No lo recomiendo a personas sensibles (aunque yo también lo soy) pero sí tienes que saber que tipo de lectura tienes en tus manos si te envalentonas a leerlo.
Es una historia oscura, moral, y que claramente no te dejará indiferente.
Jack construye un tipo de túnel secreto donde se esconde del mundo y disfruta de la compañía y el cuidado de sus preciados cerdos.
La repentina amistad con Holly Lock, una niña sensible que trata de comprender y entender la vida de Jack, desencadena un giro en la vida del protagonista.
En algunos momentos de la lectura pensé en abandonar el libro, porque no me generaba sensaciones agradables, porque es una lectura dura y es difícil tener empatía o seguir el hilo de los pensamientos de Jack. No obstante, decidí terminarlo (como siempre) ya que el libro cubre aspectos reales en la vida: abuso sexual, alcoholismo, bullying pero también amistad, amor y tolerancia.
No lo recomiendo a personas sensibles (aunque yo también lo soy) pero sí tienes que saber que tipo de lectura tienes en tus manos si te envalentonas a leerlo.
Es una historia oscura, moral, y que claramente no te dejará indiferente.
December 3, 2021
After a couple of years of trying to get this book read, restarting, struggling with the unique language, and dealing with several unlikeable characters. I finally finished the book and found it to be very dark, grisly, gory, and difficult to stomach. The subject matter and premise sounded very interesting to me, but what happens in the story is so very depressing and objectionable that I would not recommend it unless you really enjoy dark and grisly books.
The main character Jack Plum was by far the most interesting character, and once I learned to reach his speech pattern, found him to be endearing and kind and someone that I would like to get to know. However, I found all of the other characters to be unlikeable. Even Holly, the other main character, was hateful and disrespectful to her mother and not a nice person to anyone but Jack.
The main character Jack Plum was by far the most interesting character, and once I learned to reach his speech pattern, found him to be endearing and kind and someone that I would like to get to know. However, I found all of the other characters to be unlikeable. Even Holly, the other main character, was hateful and disrespectful to her mother and not a nice person to anyone but Jack.
June 26, 2025
Un libro bastante difícil de conseguir, con una historia de discriminación y de amistad muy bien desarrollada, aderezada con el acompañamiento de unas singulares mascotas:los cerditos.
La historia se centra en dos protagonistas con vacíos emocionales, uno Jack Plum, un hombre viviendo en su tercera década de vida con una deformidad facial que lo ha segregado socialmente y, sobre todo, por su madre que no para ni un solo momento de torturarlo psicológicamente; la protagonista femenina es Holly Lock, una adolescente de 14 años que encuentra su refugio en “El Monstruo”.
Una obra que me recuerda un poco a Frankenstein.
La historia se centra en dos protagonistas con vacíos emocionales, uno Jack Plum, un hombre viviendo en su tercera década de vida con una deformidad facial que lo ha segregado socialmente y, sobre todo, por su madre que no para ni un solo momento de torturarlo psicológicamente; la protagonista femenina es Holly Lock, una adolescente de 14 años que encuentra su refugio en “El Monstruo”.
Una obra que me recuerda un poco a Frankenstein.
November 8, 2017
Unforgettable and strangely ethereal, despite its stark gore. Dreamy with all its disfigurement and poetic mental bludgeonings. Captivating in its beautiful friendship blossoming out of blood and guts and raw human filth. Lyrical and tender. Soft and grotesque. A carnival-deep journey, contorted and pretty. Like all the most spellbinding of things in the world.
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