REVIEW | Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang
“I’ve been called magic, but I wouldn’t use that term exactly. I like to think of myself as always being in the right place at the right time, or the wrong place at the wrong time. Very rarely am I simply in an acceptable place at a generally convenient time. That said, I find those rare occasions very pleasant, mostly because they give me time to work on my crosswords.”
Themes:
- Family dynamics
- Nature’s raw power
- Finding your purpose
When I read the synopsis for this book, I became immediately convinced that I’d love it. Once I had the book in my hands, I began with apprehension, because my expectations were high! I can happily say, those expectations were exceeded. This book is MAGICAL.
Brimming with whimsy and wildlife, quirky personalities and human complexity, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance was a joy to read.
Throughout the book, our protagonist, Weylyn, finds himself within a few different family dynamics. It inspires thoughtfulness on the reader’s part, and is an element of the story that captured my attention early on and entertained throughout. It created a sort of examination of human life through Weylyn’s observations. His wildness lent him a fascinating and believable naïveté through which the reader explores average things through a new lens.
The novel switches between points of view and settings frequently. Sometimes this makes it difficult for me to get through a book, but I think Lang absolutely mastered it. Each character has a distinctive voice, and they all feel authentic and well built—hard to do when you’ve got so much going on at once. I found this impressive, and it contributed to my enjoyment of the book for sure!
But speaking of characters, WEYLYN GREY. I desperately wish he were a real person, with whom I could spend the rest of my days. His simple joy, understanding, and reflectiveness was delightful to read from beginning to end. I adore him. I also love Mary, and the way their paths intertwined throughout is a prime example of Lang’s ability to handle a complicated storyline and structure with brilliance. It was so beautiful!
An overarching theme in this story is nature’s awesome (in the traditional sense of the word, for once) power. Through Weylyn’s connection to the natural world and his inner struggle to reconcile this with his status as a member of human society, we explore our own relationship with the environment we live in. It also made me question all of our global society’s beliefs and behaviors. In the end, Weylyn ends up finding his happy medium, living with a companion from each world.
I need to include a little something here about chapter 47. I sighed when I finished this tiny chapter, and was left with the feeling that it could stand as a very short story of its own. Duane was a great character, and this ending for him was an unexpected, and so welcome, surprise.
Also I must say: THE ANIMAL FRIENDS. Mama, Merlin, Primrose, Widow, Matilda, Boo—I love them all so much!
Are you even wondering what I’m going to write in this closing statement? If you haven’t, GO READ THIS BOOK.
