Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Wow. This is going to be a tough one to write about. I went into Tender Morsels 
This book is not always an easy read, and I think that may be why some people have problems with it. In some places, it’s harsh, it’s ugly, it’s repulsive. But so is it’s subject matter. Rape and incest are not pretty things, nor are the resulting traumas of those events. And though Liga’s trauma is covered up for awhile, and though she can escape into her own private heaven for years, she ultimately can’t escape her past. Yes, that’s upsetting. But it’s reality. What I also loved is that Lanagan addresses the conflict of things like rape and incest. How something beautiful can come from something so ugly. For Liga, that beautiful thing is her two amazing daughters, Branza and Urdda, two characters who I love so much!! But for others, trauma of any kind can ultimately make a person stronger…if not stronger, they can find a part of themselves that they never knew existed…it can form connections that ultimately wouldn’t have been there. I’m not for a second advocating abuse or harm of any kind, but I liked that Lanagan found something positive in Liga’s gut wrenching story.
The fairy tale aspect of Margo Lanagan’s writing is to put it very lightly, amazing. She’s set up a world that I’m simply in awe of, that I never wanted to leave. The language of the novel, the scenery, the towns, the magic, the characters, the time, the essence of it all was all so beautiful and real and it just appealed to all of my senses. She paints stories within stories within stories, but the tale of Tender Morsels itself never manages to get overly complicated. I never complained when a new character was added to the plot as I do with so many other novels. I loved all of these characters. Well I shouldn’t say that…there were a few that I absolutely hated. But my, were most of these characters incredible!
There are witches that are wise and witches that are less wise but have hearts of gold, there are mothers and daughters to make you smile and cry, there are littlee men who can irritate but make you laugh, there are humans to despise, there are bears to love and bears to hate, there are men to love and men to hate, there are babs to care for, young boys to feel pain for, wolves to long for, and so much more.
I don’t even know what else to say about this novel right now except for, read it. It’s going on my list of favorite books and I think it’s a really important book for people to read. It’s about the power of overcoming difficulties. Not forgetting them, not escaping them (though that may be necessary along the journey), but the gradual, long journey of moving through a traumatic event. What a beautiful book this was.
I’m really glad you liked the book. Loved it, in fact. You know, I wanted to like it. I wanted to love it. But I just couldn’t. And I’m not one that will shy away from something that is harsh or ugly. But I didn’t like this one. I hate saying much here for fear of spoiling anything. But I didn’t find Liga strong. In fact, I found her extremely weak. She endured something so horrible; something no little girl should ever have to. But it really bothered me that she took the one good thing to come of all that horridness and toss it over a cliff. Yes, something saved the child. But this is where the book lost me. I was tolerating it till then. My heart broke for her till then. That was the turning point.
I loved Urdda. She was spunky, but Branza annoyed me. Man. I could go on and on. This book really strikes a chord with people. Good or bad. No one walks away from it unaffected, do they??
I’m glad you loved it. Some of those scenes with the first bear were absolutely beautiful. I wish that one part we talked about hadn’t been in there because seeing reviews like this remind me of all the things I love, when normally I look back and this book and think “oh no I need to stop thinking or I will get sick.”
Yay!!! You’re making me want to reread it. Except I *really* HATE that middle cover. Ick.
Okay, I can hardly see this screen through the tears. Chris, this was a beautiful, beautiful review. I know…I mean it, I really know that I need to read this book. That it will be a good thing. So why can’t I just get over the fear of starting it? I will. Really, I trust you and Ana and Eva completely. I must read this book.
My plan is to get this one when it’s released in paperback (which would be next month, I believe.) I should have read it a long time ago, but others crowded in, and, okay, I was a little wary of the subject matter. But your review firmed my resolve to pick it up.
Ooh, the more I hear about this one (though no one gives much away) the more I want to read it. I like that you showed all the covers, too. The third is my favorite.
Steph, I see how that would upset you so much…it upset me too, but I don’t think that Liga was in her right mind when she did that and I don’t think her thoughts were even her own when she did that. After the horrendous trauma that she had gone through, I think she was catastrophising and that seemed like the only option to her when anyone with even the tiniest morsel of sense would see that that was not the best option. And it’s at that point that she was lucky enough to be saved and given some redemption. But you’re right…no one can walk away from this one unaffected good or bad!! Ms. Margo certainly went places most authors don’t and that’s what I really like about this book. It’s going to affect people and have a big impact and I wish EVERY book had this kind of impact on me…whether it’s good or bad. It really made me think. Sorry it upset you so much though, Steph
Amanda, They really were beautiful! So beautiful. I just want to go back and read it all over again. The part we were talking about disturbed me a lot too, but it didn’t ruin the book for me…not at all. I just don’t get as easily affected by things, lol. There was a lot in the book that was disturbing, that had to be disturbing, but I totally agree with you…that one took the cake!
Eva, Really?! I actually like that cover a lot! I don’t know what it is about it…it’s dark and moody and kind of captures the feeling of the townspeople to me…I like it
I totally want to reread this one already!
Debi, Oh my friend, you SO need to read this one…like NOW. It’s such a beautiful, beautiful book and you won’t for a moment regret it. I swear to you that you’ll love it in all of it’s gorgeous language and it’s amazing characters. Yes, it’s painful at times, but overall, not nearly as much as you would imagine. It starts off kind of brutal, but it doesn’t stay that way. It’s really quite a beautiful book and I wouldn’t misguide you, I promise
Chelle, Fear not! Yes, the subject matter is a bit wearisome, but it’s treated well in Ms. Lanagan’s hands. I really think you’ll like it Chelle!! I really do! It’s such a wonderful book!!
Jeane, It’s best not to give much away with this one I think and just to enjoy the story! The third is my favorite too! It’s by Shaun Tan who is one of my absolute favorite artists these days. Isn’t it beautiful?
So glad you loved it, Chris. And I love how you posted those different covers! Aren’t they all amazing? And they each capture the book perfectly, though in different ways. I love them all so much I’m tempted to start collecting different editions.
I am struggling with the rape and incest parts. I want to read it, but I don’t want to get upset by it.
Beautifully written Chris!! I will be reading this one for sure in 2010!
This was one of my favorite books last year, one of the only books I read last year that has still stuck with me, and made me better for having read it. I’m glad you liked it. AND Ms Lanagan is the NICEST person ever
. She spent a whole evening chatting up advice for Amanda with me, once, just because I asked 
.
Everyone seems to love this book! I started it, but haven’t read enough to decide if I love it or not yet.
Oh, I agree with you. Maybe it’s just the fact that I do have kids that this bothered me so much. The fierce mother instinct that says protect the child no matter what. And that one scene lost me. I was already on the edge with the horrible father…and then the boys from the village. I don’t know. I’m still questioning why I didn’t love this as much as everyone else.
I really liked the middle part though. And the first bear. It was one intense book, that’s for sure!
Wow, great review Chris. I have been hesistant to read this given the subject matter, but like Debi said, I trust your, Ana’s and Eva’s opinions and really hope that I could find the beauty in a story like this too. I think its important that people don’t shy away from writing books concerning difficult subjects, and thus it must be important for us to read them
Thanks.
Nymeth, I’m right with you! I love all of the different covers so much. I’m tempted to do the same thing..I want to get them all :p And then I read the news on Ms. Lanagan’s blog that the softcover versions are coming out soon and that means there will be even MORE covers!!
Vivienne, There are definitely some things in there that are upsetting, but I still think it’s a book that’s worth reading overall. More than worth reading, I feel like it’s a book that really needs to be read.
Staci, Yay!! Hope you enjoy it when you get around to it!
Jason, Perfectly said…This book has definitely changed me for having read it too and I can see this one sticking with me for good. So many books enter the mind and leave it shortly after with just the basic plot sticking around if even that, but this one is so different. Margo Lanagan really is a gem, isn’t she? She seems like such a wonderful woman and that was so sweet of her to talk with you. She’s made me laugh and smile so many times on Twitter
Kailana, Oh I do hope that you end up liking it!! But I swear I won’t hate you if you don’t :p
Steph, I can see that having kids would definitely make that scene all the more upsetting!! The father and the town kids upset me so much…they were supposed to of course, but still, so sad
The middle was so fantastic, wasn’t it? And that first bear was just amazing 
Mariel, Oh you must read it!! It’s such a great book Mariel and you’ll really like it, I think!! Hope you enjoy it!
I have this book and I’ve read just about half of it. I’m unsure how I feel about it – I like it and want to finish reading it but I had to set it aside for a bit. It’s funny how I can read about the most horrendous things in horror novels, non-fic and true crime but a fantasy novel actually upsets me. I will finish this at some point though.
I totally agree with your admiration of Liga for making something so awful (her repeated rapes) into something beautiful (raising her wonderful daughters). She did not give in to weakness or depression which takes a lot of strength. I also loved the world she set up with her own vocabulary for words which should be familiar to us, but had her own special turn. I loved the rents in space for magic, and the moon-bab which resembled a cat. There were many mysterious and fanciful things which caught my interest, but some of the topics were indeed heavy (and perhaps not best suited for Young Adults).