Review of THE AXEMAN'S CARNIVAL by Catherine Chidgey

 4 Stars

Novels with non-human narrators are not my favourite, but I decided to read this one because it’s written by Catherine Chidgey. I’ve read two of her novels, Remote Sympathy and Pet, and loved them both. I’m glad I didn’t let my skepticism about a magpie narrator keep me from reading the book because I really enjoyed it.

Tama is a magpie chick that falls out of its nest and is rescued by Marnie, a farmer’s wife on the South Island of New Zealand. Her husband Rob does not approve, but Marnie enjoys the bird’s companionship. And though he misses his magpie family, Marnie becomes the centre of his world. When Tama learns to mimic human speech, his talent may be a way to alleviate the couple’s financial woes. All is not well in the home, however, as Tama witnesses Rob’s short temper, coercive control, and violent outbursts.

Tama won me over almost immediately. He’s charming, clever, and cheeky. He is very observant though he does not always understand what he sees. He adds a lot of humour. Some comedy derives from his literal interpretation of people’s comments, but it’s his interjections of phrases he has heard which add a lot of humour since they are sometimes totally inappropriate in the context. Even his descriptions are hilarious: seeing Rob naked, Tama mentions that “the thing between his legs hung like a hairless mouse.”

A magpie can “sing two notes at once” and I love how the author incorporates this into the novel by giving Tama two voices. His “bird” voice, the one that narrates the story and that he uses to talk to his bird family, is expressive and eloquent; however, his “human” voice, the one he uses to mimic human speech, is stilted and awkward.

Despite the humour, there is a growing sense of unease. There is tension between Marnie and Rob as they struggle with drought and debt. The house is actually a symbol of their relationship: it is mouldy and “All the wood in the house was the same, eaten by borer beetles too small and secret to see, and one day the entire place would turn to dust.” Rob has several troublesome qualities: he is possessive of his wife, and resentful and jealous of the success of others. He drinks and he is not a happy drunk because that’s when his short temper comes to the fore. Tama keeps repeating, “I did not trust him and I was right not to trust him.” And Tama’s foreshadowing only adds to the suspense: “When I think about what happened later” and “I suppose everything that happened afterwards was my fault.” Tama’s father always warns of the evil of humans so that just adds to the tension. Rob is obsessed with being the champion at the annual woodchopping competition, and it’s obvious he will not take defeat well. The title refers to that competition so there is a sense of inevitability, a feeling that an axe is hanging over Marnie, an axe which Rob wields expertly.

The book touches on a number of issues: toxic masculinity, domestic violence, and the exploitative nature of social media. Tama becomes a social media sensation, but there are dangers to such fame. Though Tama sees the duplicitous and manipulative nature of some humans in real life, the negative aspects of human nature are amplified on social media.

This is a unique novel; it is relevant in its exploration of serious issues but is also emotionally engaging. I highly recommend it.

See my reviews of Chidgey’s other novels:

Remote Sympathy: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2022/04/review-of-remote-sympathy-by-catherine.html

Pet: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2024/03/review-of-pet-by-catherine-chidgey.html