Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of K-Ming Chang’s novel, Bestiary, in exchange for an honest review.

K-Ming Chang’s Bestiary tells the stories of different generations of the same Taiwanese family who has immigrated to the United States, first ending up in Arkansas and finally settling in California.

Bestiary is one of the most unusual stories that I have ever read. It’s not told in a linear fashion, instead it is like being tossed about in waves, as it shifts from different perspectives and blurs the lines between mythology, magical realism and reality.

For example, a chapter that made a big impression on me, had a father and young son’s violent altercation shift to where they were like kites fighting in the wind, with the mother/sister observing the action. I thought this was a fascinating way to describe an abusive relationship as it allowed for a new perspective. It shifted from the POV of the father/son, to the mother/daughter who are silent observers to the abuse. The distance of the perspective was almost more horrific than the moments when the violence is close. It was cinematic in its effect.

I’m not Taiwanese and I’m certain that many of the cultural/mythological references went over my head. However, I was still absolutely transfixed by Chang’s writing. Her phrasing and style is truly unique. I often stopped to read passages aloud simply to delight in her words. Her writing is visceral, unexpected, and honest. I recommend Bestiary as a work of art that is quite special.