Clever title, clever concept . . . Roses and Rot is the debut novel from Kat Howard. It released in 2016, won all sorts of recognition and praise, and I promptly added it to my TBR list. Over the last few days, I have – literally – forced myself to read it.
![book cover, Roses and Rot by [Howard, Kat]](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51AaCV7EdRL.jpg?resize=333%2C500&ssl=1)
Because there are so many little fairy tale anecdotes in this novel: Once upon a time, there were two sisters. The older was a bit darker, a bit too much in her books and in writing what happened in her imagination. The younger was bright and blonde and wore tutus and could do no wrong. They had only their mother at home, and their mother was harshly critical of the older girl, both physically and mentally abusive, and the younger girl learned early to “save” her sister when possible.
When the girls were teenagers, the older girl managed to save enough money and earn enough on scholarship to attend a boarding school that would allow her to focus on her art: writing. She left home, thinking it was her only chance at surviving the toxic environment at home, and left her sister to deal with their mother. The mother, in turn, cut off all communication, so that the younger girl believed her sister had abandoned her without care.
Later, as young adults, both sisters earn a spot in an exclusive artist commune: Melete. Only 40 apprentices are accepted, in all varieties of arts, and each is assigned a mentor who has achieved wide success in their chosen art. They live there with all they require – room and board, studio space, writing materials, whatever they need. The oldest is there to write the best novel of her young career; the youngest is there to fully become the prima ballerina she believes she is.
But, as one of their housemates almost immediately asks: what would you give up to achieve your dream?
And so, there we have it. Imogen, the writer; her sister, Marin, a talented ballerina. They get swept into the world of Melete, a seemingly too-perfect artist paradise, where their mentors will push them to be better and stronger in their chosen field than they ever thought possible. Unsurprisingly, the “seemingly too-perfect” place is that way for a reason, and that reason is dangerous and intoxicating. The fairy tales Imogen weaves throughout her writing are maybe a little closer to the truth than she has ever realized.
I liked some of the supporting cast. I think they meant well, were usually pretty solid voices of reason, and had quirks that made them seem both more logical and realistic. I think I liked the premise: what would you give up to achieve your dreams? How far would you take it? And, in the end, would you risk everything to save someone you loved?
I really wanted to enjoy this book; the ideas, the premise, the unknown – those are all things I enjoy. But it seemed like every chapter had an accompanying short-story fairy tale; if the chapter was about running through the woods, there was, immediately afterwards, a “once upon a time, a young girl ran through a forest while chasing an elusive bird she had seen hopping in the trees” story. It was like reading everything twice: once in the real world, and once in the fairy tale world. It seemed a little redundant. Every chapter.
And I really struggled with the main characters. I just could not relate to any of them. At all. Marin seemed a little too eager – afraid that taking a year away from performing on stage would mean certain career death, but, also certain she must do whatever she can to be successful. It’s a catch-22 she seems unable, or unwilling, to look away from. And Imogen is perpetually reliving the past abuse from her mother, still suffering from it, and seems determined to continue suffering in as many new ways as she can find. Ironically, both of them are self-centered narcissists who are doing everything for the same reason: to protect each other from their mother. And their mother – it’s as if she walked around screaming “no more wire hangers – ever!” and then two seconds later screaming “my daughter is painting the town in fire and flames – isn’t it beautiful!” It just got . . . well, a bit overdone.
I think the book was supposed to be dark. But it was obvious to me what was going on, and the darkness never fully materialized. Some characters were meant to be evil. But they were written in such over-the-top fashion that they were more humor and odd instead of scary and imposing. There were partial bridges that made you wonder what was on the other side. But you always knew where they would head, because the clues are everywhere. Subtle nuances make everything at Melete seem a little bit off – it’s a little too perfect, roses are a little too vibrant, the pressure to succeed is a little too high. But, because you know what the driving force behind Melete is, all those things suddenly seem not enough.
Isn’t there a quote somewhere about how you can put a bow on a toad, but it’s still a toad? Something like that.
I gave a toad a big bow and a fancy necklace . . . nope, still a toad.
Ultimately, Roses and Rot is 253 pages front to back. Usually, that’s what I would call a “quick” read: easily doable in an afternoon. It took me five days, and I came dangerously close to putting it down and walking away. Not a good sign. The positives are that the book seems well written, lots of good metaphor, almost poetic in its tone and style. Unfortunately, that’s not my preferred style. I’m sure it’s a sign of good author technique, so kudos for that to the author. I wanted to enjoy this. I wanted to like it. I wanted to do a glowing review. I just can’t.
Overall: 6/10
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