Book Summary and Reviews of A Good Animal by Sara Maurer

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she treads softly

very highly recommended, beautifully written, coming-of-age novel
A Good Animal by Sara Maurer is a very highly recommended, beautifully written, coming-of-age novel set in a rural farming area outside of Sault St. Marie, Michigan in 1995. This is an incredible, character driven literary debut novel which perfectly captures people in a specific place and time. I am looking forward to Sara Maurer's next novel. (This might be best appreciated by those who understand the realities of rural/small town life.)

Everett Lindt has always planed to stay on the sheep farm that has been in the family for generations, breeding and selling sheep after he finishes his senior year of high school. When he meets Mary, who has just moved to the area with her Coast Guard father for her senior year, he is immediately attracted to her, but she makes it clear that she plans to leave after high school for college in California. They stumble into dating and a relationship, with Everett secretly hoping she will stay with him and his dream, while Mary adamantly knows she is leaving for her. Then they face complications and hard choices.

A Good Animal is an exquisitely written novel with an even-paced plot. As many adults will understand, young love/first love doesn't always admit the obvious realities clearly present and the relationship between Everett and Mary showcases this fact. They may be attracted to each other, but their individual dreams are distinctly contrary. The sometimes harsh, sometimes satisfying realities of raising, showing, and selling sheep is plainly captured in detail, but readers will know that Everett's future on the farm is a well-chosen decision for his life. At the same time, Mary's obvious fear of sheep is one fact which certainly indicates she is not suited for that life.

Everett is a well-developed character and depicted as a fully-realized individual with both strengths and weaknesses. He is young and still maturing, but indications of the man he will be one day are present. Supporting characters, including in part Everett's best friend Charlie, his younger sister Katie, and Mary, are also portrayed as realistic characters. Even some of the sheep have personalities. The well-written characters help make the plot soar in this emotionally complex coming-of-age drama.

A Good Animal is an excellent choice for those who enjoy well-written coming-of-age stories. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

jillg

A Coming-Of-Age Debut
A GOOD ANIMAL
By Sara Maurer

As someone from Michigan who has visited the Upper Peninsula many times, I thought I had a pretty good sense of life there—but I never once considered sheep farming. The UP is a place where life moves at a slower pace, where time seems to stand still. I certainly didn’t expect to be so drawn into a novel about raising and breeding sheep, yet A Good Animal surprised me.

This coming-of-age debut is set in 1995 on a rural sheep farm outside Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The story follows Everett, a seventeen-year-old boy whose dreams are rooted in the land he knows—wanting to raise and breed sheep and someday have a family of his own. When Mary, a teenage girl unaccustomed to small rural towns, moves to the area with her father, Everett is immediately smitten. But while Everett’s dreams are quiet and grounded, Mary imagines a much bigger life beyond the boundaries of the UP. One impulsive decision changes the course of both of their lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tender coming-of-age story, and Everett quickly held a special place in my heart. A Good Animal is ultimately a story about first love, longing, and the bittersweet process of growing up. The characters felt real and meaningful. I could see this book appealing to mature YA readers as well. I’m partial to debut novels, and this one did not disappoint. I look forward to what Sara Maurer does next.

The writing style is quiet and reflective, capturing the slow pace of life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Maurer’s prose is subtle and atmospheric, focusing on small moments that carry emotional weight. The tone is tender and restrained, making the story of first love and growing up feel intimate and authentic.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

labmom55

Ode to young love
A Good Animal is an ode to young love, to growing up, to the farming life. It’s a quiet, evenly paced story about what it means to find your way over the course of a year. It covers all the emotions. Everett is seventeen. Farming is all he’s ever known or wanted. Then Mary arrives. She’s always been adrift and she’s got big plans for where she wants life to take her. They fall in love despite their vastly different visions for the future.

Maurer paints a non sentimental look at farm life. I enjoyed watching Everett learn to make decisions for himself, even when it’s obvious they’re not the right ones. Oh, but with my older eyes, I could see the inevitable coming. All the characters felt fully fleshed out. My only regret was I would have loved a glimpse into how their lives turned out. The story is beautifully written and doesn’t come across as a debut novel.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.