BOOK REVIEW: THE TAXIDERMIST’S LOVER BY POLLY HALL

THE TAXIDERMIST’S LOVER by Polly Hall

Publisher ‏ : ‎ CamCat Publishing, LLC (8 Dec. 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0744303818
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0744303810

Review by Amber Logan

I felt turned inside-out like the skin of a dead rabbit, waiting to be filled, stuffed fresh and preserved, put on display and admired--how life-like, don’t the eyes follow you about the room?—those that are new to the craft always look at the glass eyes first, just to check that the specimen is really dead. Or maybe to see if any remaining life clings on.


The first thing that struck me about The Taxidermist’s Lover is the gorgeous, lyrical language. It was immediately apparent to me that the author, Polly Hall, is a poet; the stained glass prose in this work of literary horror is the type of writing the author wants the reader to luxuriate in, appreciating all the fine colors and the way the lights and darks affect the reading experience. The style is so well done I barely noticed the 2nd person narrative.

But it wasn’t just the sensual and eerie language of the book which makes The Taxidermist’s Lover stand out; the structure of the novel is quite intriguing, as well. The narrative is told as a January through December month-by-month retrospective account of the life of the main character (Scarlett Pepper) interspersed with brief interludes of Christmas Day, which is presented as “today” and written in present tense. The reader slowly comprehends over time that something dreadful happens on Christmas, and the entire novel is a slow build up to the inevitable conclusion—a work of exquisite dread.

Set in the isolated moors of Somerset, UK, the landscape itself is delightfully eerie and evocative, mirroring the dreamlike language. Even the intricate details of the taxidermy process, though grotesque and visceral, are presented as noble and sublime through Scarlett’s eyes.


You have touched the brains of animals, eased the moist, grey whorls of matter from the skull cavity; you have scraped the layers of fat from their skin, and discarded the skeletons and fibrous sticky tissue. You have touched death’s glorious aftermath.


As beautiful as the language is, The Taxidermist’s Lover is not an easy read, nor is it for everyone. I had to stop reading it at night because the visuals were too intense, the descriptions too vivid; I genuinely feared nightmares. It reminded me, somewhat uncomfortably, of the 2005 Terry Gilliam film Tideland--a film which still haunts me, for better or for worse. But if you find the intricacies of taxidermy fascinating, and enjoy a sensual and disturbing love story, The Taxidermist’s Lover is a true gem.

The Taxidermist's Lover 
by Polly Hall  

From award-winning author Polly Hallcomes a “lyrical debut” (Booklist, Starred Review) and contemporary gothic tale “filled with startling conclusions about the nature of art and love and death” (NYT Book Review).

A modern Gothic tale of a woman obsessed with her lover’s taxidermy creatures and haunted by her past.

One stormy Christmas, Scarlett recalls the ebb and flow of a yearlong love affair with Henry, a renowned taxidermist. Obsessed with his taxidermy creatures, she pushes him to outdo his colleague and world-famous rival in a crescendo of
species-blending creativity. Scarlett will not be able to avoid a reckoning with her own past as Henry’s inventions creep into her own thoughts, dreams, and desires.
Drenched in the torrential rains of the Somerset moorland and the sensual pleasures of the characters, The Taxidermist’s Lover lures you ever deeper into Scarlett’s delightfully eerie world.
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Bram Stoker Award Shortlist for Superior Achievement in a First Novel • IPPY Awards 2021 Gold Medal Winner

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