Gabriel Mahler Mahler itibaren Novouglyanka, Lipetskaya oblast', Rusya itibaren Novouglyanka, Lipetskaya oblast', Rusya

** spoiler alert ** Merricat tells the story of her family. They are exiled by the town as it is assumed that Constance murdered most of the family. It's just M, C, and Uncle Julian living in their huge house. Constance never leaves and Merricat just to get groceries, and reluctantly, as she is hated and taunted mercilessly. M seems stunted (like she didn't finish growing up) and fiercely protective of C. Cousin Charles appears (to steal the family fortune) but C chooses to trust him while M tries all sorts of "magic" to get rid of him. Eventually she sets the house on fire trying to get rid of Charles and the villagers come. They put out the fire, but destroy the home in hatred. Julian dies, Charles disappears, M and C hide. We find out M poisoned the sugar bowl (and everyone but C who doesn't eat sugar which M knew). They return home, clean what they can and close off the rest. The villagers leave food on the doorstep out of guilt from then on. Themes: unreliable narrator, hatred, ostracism, desperate love (within the family) I loved Merricat. She was so strong, yet so extremely terrified. Her thoughts and passions were bizarre yet interesting and what she did as a child clearly had an effect on her and made her nervous and scared and cling to mysticism and magic. A lot of food here - Constance cooking them their favorite meals and growing vegetables in the garden. The end is left with the two girls living happily in virtually just the kitchen of their house. It really feels like they are too terrified to contemplate doing anything else. Merricat will never grow up and Constance will continue to mother her.