This is the kind of a book which deals with many issues and elements, and the uncovering of the culprit of the murders is only a small and rather unsatisfactory element because of its obviousness and predictability. Despite the interesting setting, however, as a detective story, Drive Your Plow is rather disappointing.

The latter fact means that the story has both a local and international dimension/message. Drive Your Plow is no different, and the story feels even spookier because the events happen during one winter season and near a Polish-Czech Republic border. Small village mysteries are often really special mysteries because of their cosy atmosphere and few suspects. At this point the detective story begins and some clues have been left behind for the reader to try to solve the puzzle. Big Foot was unpopular around their small village of about seven houses, but Janina and Oddball still find it their duty to dress the dead man so that he can be presentable when authorities come to inspect the scene. Their mutual neighbour, a man called “Big Foot”, is found dead in his home. The story begins with Janina being woken up by her neighbour whom she calls “Oddball”. (William Blake, Proverbs of Hell, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence. Prudence is a rich ugly old maid courted by Incapacity. The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom. “ In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.ĭrive your cart and your plow over the bones of the dead.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is a strange literary concoction, but also an atmospheric and intelligent one. big power) theses, unchangeable horoscope arguments and literary (William Blake) references to produce one of a kind story whose main narrator steals every other page with her insightful and often bizarre observations. But, is she really a new Polish Miss Marple? Tokarczuk did not just write a detective story – her book combines existential philosophy, animal rights and village politics (small people vs. Janina has her own unusual theories about the murders, and these involve animals. Her neighbour’s death follows that of other hunting men in the vicinity, and suspicions begin to mount. In this story, an eccentric elderly woman Janina Duszejko recounts a series of murders happening in her small village near Kłodzko, Poland. This book by Olga Tokarczuk (the winner of the International Booker Prize Award for Flights) was translated from the Polish in 2018 by Antonia Lloyd-Jones. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead – ★★★★1/2

Flights by olga tokarczuk goodreads