The End: Ch 12-13

Wow. I can definitely say this book was continuously interesting. I find Faber frequently used Isserley’s character to show developing “humanistic features”.

We see Isserley begin to develop a sense of guilt and regret for her actions of abduction and torture. Instead of being insensitive to this and not enjoying or getting pleasure from it, we begin to see her feel this new found remorse and even regret. Faber makes it seem like the loss of Vess is what sparks this regret development into her characterization. Like the loss of somebody who Isserley really cared about brought out this new side of her, one which made the feeling of regret or remorse relatable. Vess was an agent of change in this scenario as he brought these feelings to light within Isserely.

Later on when these feelings of begin to consume her and she makes the decision to take her own life, we continue to see humanistic traits evolve in her. By letting the last hitch hiker free, we again notice this recognition for others and a sense of compassion forming. These new appearing traits make Isserley become a more relatable character, as well as a character readings start to feel bad for due to her feelings of pain in her life being so strong that she feels ending her life is the only way to stop this pain and suffering.

This book was definitely interesting and continued to keep me guessing while reading. I really thought the way Faber developed Isserley’s character was wonderfully done.

 

The End

I suppose the book is satisfying in terms of its conclusion. I’m more of a “big finale” sort of person, with mind blowing twists like in Gone Girl. But I accept this ending too. It makes sense to me, I mean, any other ending would perhaps be too cheesy. And Isserley’s death is the most logical conclusion in my opinion. Doesn’t make me feel too good saying it. But I wasn’t mind blown, because I saw it coming. And I just wish the author did something that was a bit more WHAAAAAATTTTT. If that makes sense. I guess the title makes so much more sense now, and it’s a “I gett ittttt” moment. But the ending was also a little too much for me. I DON’T KNOW I’M JUST EMOTIONALLY UNCERTAIN RIGHT NOW.

I’m mainly just happy the book is done. While I did enjoy the writing style, it wasn’t my favourite. And it always left me so stressed out!

Reflection: The End- Cora.R

THE BOOK IS FINALLY OVER  I AM SO HAPPY THIS BOOK IS OVER.

I  honestly- i can’t even explain how relieved I am that it’s over I did not enjoy the story at all. I did enjoy how it developed over time, and the writing style but the plot itself? definitely not. That makes me sad though, because  have the storyline been different I would have enjoyed this book to the fullest.

I’m so unhappy with this ending? I feel like nothing has been concluded. I Nothing changed for me since i started reading I really don’t like this book  There isn’t much character development- the plot is more than open ended in terms of the farm and what will happen there. I guess the only thing I am happy about is that Isserley is finally free from the farm? even though it does mean she is dead….

i feel like weirdly she’ll finally be at peace.

over all

i am just so happy this book is done. that’s all I have to say.

Under The Skin-Ah’m nae shore whit tae think

What a doozy of a book. I want to write some conclusions on what I think, but as I’ve been reading some of the other posts, I’ve realized I’m not the only one whose brain is a little scrambled.

This book made me go through an array of feelings toward Isserley. I despised her character multiple times through the book. She made it clear that she wasn’t enjoying what she was doing, but still kept bringing in humans, or “vodsels”, to be neutered and put up for slaughter without any regard for their lives. Then I made the obvious allegory to us and our animal farming. I don’t think those involved in the industry find enjoyment out of slaughtering animals (other than the very questionable folk), but become numb to it and just… do it. Because that’s what we do. Then I thought, “but we are SENTIENT beings. We have high intelligence, philosophy, higher purpose and all that”, but, again, I think about the “human beings” in the novel. Isserley and the others place themselves higher on the food chain and altogether hierarchy of sentient worth. Because they can’t understand our way of thinking and we can’t understand theirs, assumptions are going to be made on their part. And they’ve got the technology and drugs to really shake things up for us vodsels.

So Isserley is confused about what’s right and wrong. She’s been transformed into one of us physically, but not emotionally or mentally, and so is forced to view both races. She is connected physically to the one she doesn’t understand emotionally and is connected emotionally to the one she’s not connected to physically. When I thought about that, I started to understand her erratic and at times irrational behaviour.

This book is dark. It has dark themes and gruesome depictions of life. And I think Michel Faber really used the darkness of this book to his advantage. He was able to explore moral questions about our culture-it’s made me wonder what the proper way of living is, and what our culture has done to the place we call home. I don’t really have any answers, but my mind’s definitely going… and going… I’m so confused. Thanks, Michel Faber.

12 and 13

The book was interesting, it really grabbed my attention with how weird the story was. It always had me asking my self questions and leaving me with the feeling of uncertainty.

After finishing this book I was happy with the ending. Isserley truly deserved to die because of all the horrible things that she did or helped do. She began to see parts of the evil as the last few chapters wrapped up and that is what lead her to doom. I couldn’t of seen the story end in any other way, I thought it was a fit ending.

In all the chaos in this story I did notice and like the fact that Isserley truly admired nature. It was a reminder of how calming the outdoors can be and to appreciate what nature has to offer. Even the most sickened of people can agree that the world is a very unique spectacular place.

Under the Skin: Final Chapters

At the beginning, I posted about not knowing exactly what to expect by the end of the book. Now that I actually have reached the end, it feels almost surreal that there is nothing more to the story. Overall, I feel like the ending was satisfying in the sense that the author tied up almost all loose ends and answered the main questions that I had.

Also, I had checked the blog before posting or reading the chapters just to double check that people were beginning to post their blogs and the first thing I see is: Isserley is dead. Weirdly, I didn’t feel very surprised at all because I predicted that Isserley was not okay mentally after the traumatic experience of rape. Just as I had predicted, the rest of the chapters show Isserley slowly losing the confidence that she once had at the beginning of the book which eventually lead to her death.

The thing that I found ironic was that the same technology and the same actions that were used to capture and kill the vodsels were used in her death. The last couple of pages made me think the most about the title of the book and how at the end, Isserley made the decision to see herself as equal to humans emotionally and under the skin.

Chapter 12 & 13

Usually after I finish a novel I come up with some sort of conclusion of whether I liked it or not, whether or not I would recommend it to others, etc. But since I have finished this book yesterday… I don’t even know how I feel about it at all. The whole time I was pretty involved in it, wanting to know what was going to happen next. However, there were a lot of times where I kind of struggled to engage myself in it. I want to say that I liked it but at the same time I have literally no idea. I think it was really weird, but definitely a good weird. I liked the ideas that were presented in the novel such as the earth being viewed by Isserley and others as this foreign place, whereas for us this is all we know.

I think I’m disappointed that Amliss didn’t have more of a role in the ending, even though he really did have a large underlying role in how Isserley acted after he left. I knew from the beginning of chapter 12 when Isserley mentioned wanting to die that she would most likely die at the end of the novel, and I figured suicide was definitely approaching. I just think it was interesting how she did it. I was kind of panicked when she got into the car crash because I figured she would be found out. I’m also super sad about that poor lonely dog.

I’m still not really quite sure what to take away from this novel which bothers me….

12-13

Definitely not a terrible book. I preferred the ending in the novel as opposed to the ending in the movie. I felt as thought Isserley lived her miserable life on earth in a vehicle doing something she didn’t want to do. It makes sense to me that she would end her life IN the thing associated with the terrible work that she is doing. I actually had to read these chapters twice as i had a hard time focusing while reading. I was at home and taking care of a new puppy, so i guess the new puppy could explain my lack of focus. Again, not a novel i would normally read so i wasn’t truly intrigued, but not every story is for everyone.

In the end, i feel like Isserley found some peace by letting herself go. She knew that she was miserable doing what she did, and she didn’t want to do it for much longer. Even prior to watching the movie, i found it quite clear that the main character was going to take her life.

It’s a good book! Wouldn’t read it again, but i know quite a few people that will enjoy the story!

Under The Skin Chapters Twelve and Thirteen

I finished listening to my audio book version of Under the Skin a couple days ago and since then I was wondering the age old question, “but what does it mean?”. I have yet to come up with an answer,  but I have a suspicion it has something to do with questioning and subjecting our  own humanity, ethics and, morals. And also just screwing with the reader.

I think there is also something to say about Isserly being the only woman present in the story, it adds to the isolation she must feel that has been remarked on by the other characters. This also adds another layer of unease when she was asked to find a female ‘vodsil’ and keep her eggs intact. There is something about the scifi trope and forcibly impregnating women that really makes me uncomfortable, and throughout this novel I got the feeling of the destruction and unnatural manipulation of womanhood (womanhood in the cis normative sense). Just with the way Isserly describes what has happened to her body and how they intentionally sexualized just really freaks me out for some reason.

Honestly, of all the loose ties to tie up, I was glad it was about the dog. I feel like the vagueness and unanswered questions in throughout the story are more of an atmospheric decision, and a way for the reader to find Isserly both ‘human’ and alien in various aspects. To me, the story was more about Isserly as a person, dealing with her own mental health, and to me the story was more of a character study and a examination of what humanity and norms really mean (one way that it sticks out to me is when Isserly describes inherently ‘human’ things that have no meaning or explanation (I can’t find the exact quote as that is one limitation of listening to a book rather than reading it)).

I really enjoyed the book, while the story was of little interest to me, the questions it and Isserly make me think about my own social constructs and norms was very fun to contemplate, and the writing was really excellent, so much so I might read more of the authors novels.

Chapters 12-13: A satisfying ending

What a read! I thoroughly enjoyed devouring this book. I used to consider myself quite a reader, but in the last few years I’ve neglected fiction to study languages or other non-narrative subjects. This was a lovely change.

This brought me back to when I was younger and was enraptured by Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling. There’s an immense satisfaction and sadness that comes from finishing a book that you enjoyed reading, I think. I felt a strange departure after closing the book shut, like I’d seen friends of mine for the last time or something.

Throughout the last two chapters, we see the real Isserley that everyone else sees: the misshapen, unhappy creature that she, herself, refuses to acknowledge. All of the hitchers comment on her scarring and apparent disfigurement. All the men at the farm gossip about her and try to get close to her, but she pushes them away. Even Amlis Vess, who seems to really take a shine to her, gets sneered at and chastised like he’s trying to maliciously seduce her. She doesn’t really see the good in anyone. Maybe this stems from the life prior to her transformation and the pain she endured. She’s definitely jaded, there’s no doubt. The only thing she ever takes pleasure in is nature. How fitting that her life ends in such a way. It almost seems like she looks on her death as a blessing. After she decides not to go back to the farm, she regrets it—only in so far as she wouldn’t see that familiar stretch of seashore again.

I kept musing on the mystery of how the book was going to end. In a way, it couldn’t have reached a conclusion any other way than with her death. She was committing horrible crimes that surely couldn’t go unpunished. As the end of the book was drawing to a close, she was displaying a kind of loss of her sanity and composure, all leading up to her somewhat inevitable end. I think that she began to see just a glimmer of what she was doing. She toyed with the idea of rescuing the last vodsel she had captured, and DID go back to rescue the dog from the confines of the van. I think ending the story after her quasi epiphany was the ideal time.

Overall I thought the book was beautifully written and cleverly sculpted. The ending was satisfying, and I came away from the book completely contented. I feel a bit of a void now that I will likely have to fill with some other good read over the Christmas break.

Cheers!