This was the first excerpt in the most recent Publisher’s Lunch Buzz Books, and I loved its quirkiness so much that I immediately downloaded the full galley. I had every intention of pausing my progress on Buzz Books to read the remaining 120-odd pages; however, it was too late in the evening to start something new. In the daylight, I decided to save the galley until after I at least finished the Buzz Books tome.

Enter the Aardvark seems to have set two records on the very first page: one for the longest first sentence of a novel and one for the most dizzying explanation of the creation of life on our planet. And it just gets nuttier from there by introducing a 19th century British naturalist and a 21st century American politician. And then come a taxidermist and a philanthropist. As well as a grieving widow who believes roses will keep her dead husband from haunting her and a police officer who bears a grudge while just doing his job. More unexpected characters pop up, while expected characters suddenly start acting unexpectedly. And at the center of it all is the lusciously coy taxidermy aardvark.
As much as I adored the quirkiness of the excerpt, that was just the tip of the iceberg. This novel (or novella really) was a sprint through the oddness of experiencing love, both authentically and inauthentically, and the painfulness of self-discovery and self-delusion. It’s truly indescribable. I know that I’ll happily read it again in the future, even knowing how it all works out, and most likely it will be as much of wonderland romp as it was the first time.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast-paced quick read, that keeps you asking yourself “What just happened?” It is by no means a psychological thriller or a romantic comedy; it feels like it defies categorization to exist in its own space of fun.

I received this book as a digital advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was so odd but odd in a way which I loved from the moment I started it. The writing style is so unique, but not in a way that felt inaccessible or off-putting. I'm a sucker for 2nd person perspective, so I truly loved the writing choices Anthony made. My one critique with the writing was the interspersed brand placements- to me, it interrupted the flow of the narrative, but for the character, the choice made sense, so I can forgive it. While I've never been someone interested in taxidermy, the descriptions of Downing's work were fascinating.
This is a book about politics, internalized homophobia, and taxidermy- be prepared for unlikable characters and weird plot twists/reveals.

This book had me at its premise of Weird + Gay + Politics, which are the three things I love reading the most as independent genres. When this title started going around, it shot to the top of my 2020 Most Anticipated list.

I was hooked into the story from its cinematic opening that starts you at the dawn of Earth following the Big Bang to the discovery of the aardvark by a British Naturalist in 1875 in the span of four pages. It read almost like a Kubrick or Mike Judge movie.

While the satire format (which I struggle with anyway) and second person narration kept me from getting quite the level of character development I'd typically want, the twin stories the book tells of two gay men (in 1875 & 2020) whose romantic lives become centered on the same taxidermied aardvark were incredibly compelling.

If you're tastes are aligned with my weird tastes, this book is the perfect pick for a single-sitting read.

If you’ve spent any time at all reading about taxidermy, you’ve probably come across the story of the platypus. I don’t know if it’s a true story or not, but supposedly the platypus was so weird a creature that Europeans who received the skins thought them a hoax. Jessica Anthony’s “Enter the Aardvark” is a little like that platypus; it contains a multitude of parts that shouldn’t work together but make for a surprisingly fun (and thoughtful) whole. The book shifts from the tale of a London taxidermist (possibly based on Rowland Ward?) and a naturalist who sends him an aardvark in the nineteenth century to a Republican Senator who is gifted the aardvark… and who is struggling to find himself. Alexander Paine Wilson (R) isn’t the most sympathetic character I’ve ever encountered, but his thought patterns had me laughing out loud, and I ended up having a soft spot for him. If historical fiction and political satire aren’t enough fun, Anthony also manages to cram romance, ghosts, animal rights, spirituality, and commentary on our current media-blitzed world into her novel. It was a roller coaster of a read and I enjoyed every minute!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. Sad to say, it wasn’t for me. The time spent reading it left me more confused than anything. I wasn’t connecting with the story at all. I’m glad others enjoyed it though.

This book was wonderfully weird, tragically touching, and superbly smart! The political satire stings while making you laugh and the two mirrored timelines make for an interesting use of narration. The book challenges the reader to examine not who they want to be, or present themselves to be, but rather who they truly are. There are so many things that make this book different, but none of them should deter an audience. I laughed, I cried, and I examined myself, asking big questions. Isn't that the point?

I have read so many books this past year that are written in second person and I find this trend to be exhausting and hard to read. Almost no one does it very well and this book in particular did not work for me. I was done after the line, "No one knows that you suck Greg Tampico's cock." I don't, and now I don't care about the character who does. Bye Felicia.

This is one I'll definitely suggest customers break open to peek inside if they're interested - the style half the book is written in (including the first chapter) is so jarring and strange. I couldn't get past it. The other half of the chapters through the POV of the politician were charming in their oddness, but the others....nope, couldn't finish. I'll give it a neutral review however as I'm sure there's a solid story buried in there, I'm just not up to finding it.

I was disappointed in this book because it had potential for greatness but did not deliver on its promise. The novel follows two stories; one of a nineteenth century taxidermist and the other of a modern republican congressman (although one can’t tell from his barbaric political stances). The two men’s stories are tied together by a piece of taxidermy (the titular aardvark), although, that is not where the commonalities end. The author all but hits you in the face with a sledgehammer with the connections between the men.
Here is what I liked about the book. I did enjoy reading about the taxidermist. I liked reading about how animals were processed and preserved before the advent of modern technology. I also found the love-story between the taxidermist and his friend compelling. However, I cannot say the same about the other half of the book.
The contemporary portion of the novel is written in a very strange second person perspective which makes the writing clunky. There is an inordinate amount of product placement that makes the book read more like a high-end department store catalogue. The protagonist seemed very one dimensional and it was very hard to make sense of his motivations. His hateful views remain largely unchallenged throughout the novel and he undergoes minimal character development.
Finally, while the concept of “Enter the Aardvark” is quite interesting, the actual novel leaves a lot to be desired.

I believe this debut author just created a new genre called horrific political satire. This book is at times hilarious, suspenseful, romantic, and...totally unsettling. The parallel storyline of a 19th century taxidermist and a modern politician intersect at one very odd, blue-eyed stuffed aardvark, which teeters the politician on the brink of demise by way of a simple, morning FedEx delivery. Cliffhanger chapter endings will both unnerve and hook you until before you know it, you are on a bizarre yet believable escapade through three continents, love gained, life lost, much repressed male sexuality, and a totally original novel unlike any you’ve ever read before.

I absolutely loved Enter the Aardvark. It was weird and hilarious and sad and snarky and madcap and I had trouble putting it down. Congressman Alex Paine Wilson has a bright future ahead of him in the Republican party until the day a taxidermied aardvark is delivered to his house. While Wilson is trying to figure out why he now has an aardvark the narrative goes back in time to the relationship between the naturalist who found the aardvark and the man who stuffed it. This book is about the lies we tell ourselves and other people, it's about suppressing who you really are, and it's fundamentally really sad, but it's also just so much fun. This is one I haven't been able to stop talking about -- highly recommended.

I have a hard time reviewing satires, but this was an interesting, somewhat depressing read. The half "stream of consciousness" narrative keeps the story flowing so quickly that I found myself re-reading passages a lot to make sure I was on the same page. But that also could have been from the bizarre story line as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the eARC.

Jessica Anthony's Enter the Aardvark is a clever piece of political satire with narratives in two different time periods running parallel to one another. There is, yes, and aardvark, which is taxidermied in the earlier timeline and sets off some chaos in the second one.

The tones of the two timelines differ. The earlier one is kinder, less mocking. The present-day one offers a more cutting narrative—from a send-up of twee hipster eateries to politicians who are more interested in what people want to hear than in actually taking a position. Both narratives look at the lives of closeted gay men ans—surprise!—it turns out the closet hasn't changed that much over the years, remaining a very uncomfortable space.

When I began reading this book, I was delighted by its snark, and kept insisting on reading passages to those around me. Near the end, when a key character is surmising what has just happened without knowing with any certainty, it lost its edge. Speculation apparently doesn't make for effective satire. Nonetheless, it is a fun read, particularly for anyone who is discussed by the current political mores in DC. If you want something that is light, but still has a bite, you'll enjoy this title.

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

Jessica Anthony's Enter the Aardvark is a brisk, clever read. The short novel oscillates between the worlds of two complicated protagonists in utterly different time periods, with a taxidermied aardvark as the common denominator in the parallel stories. Anthony paints 19th century Britain with as much vitality and insight as she does contemporary Washington, DC, and as a reader I was quite invested in the motivations and consequences of both of her unlikable antiheros. Part political satire, part historical fiction, and part romantic drama, this is a thoroughly original novel. I suspect some will find its idiosyncrasies off-putting (I didn't warm to the occasional jargon-laced passages), but most will be drawn into the nuanced, engaging worlds that Anthony depicts.

A very funny and very sad book all at once, with many long and beautiful sentences on the nature of things, especially animals, in the world and how evolution has worked and what the results have been and how those very results influence even the smallest aspects of our lives, with two tragic romances at the heart of the story and a condemnation of societal and personal hypocrisy and lack of truth and this is a very different book that I highly recommend to just about everyone.

My review will be posted on my website on February 24, 2020

-=-=-=-

Describing this book will be a challenge. The book centers around a stuffed Aardvark. Yes, you read it correctly. This is a clever story that delves into the lives of several characters... none of whom are truly without their faults. In fact, most of the characters aren't all that likable. They manipulate each other, they're dishonest, they're cheating and lying and misrepresenting themselves. 

I'm not even sure I can pin down the genre of this book. It's part political satire, part fable, part romance. I loved the pacing of the book... I was hooked from the moment I began reading it. Because who wouldn't be!? From the moment the aardvark arrives on the doorstep of Republican Congressman Alexander Paine Wilson his life begins to unravel. The arrival of the aardvark sets in motion a series of events, missteps and bad timing and there's little room for mistakes in the world of politics.

I'm not trying to be evasive, I really can't quite figure out how to describe this book. It's remarkably original... I have never read anything like it and that makes me incredibly happy. Anthony has written parallel journeys for two different men... different times... the only common witness is the stuffed aardvark. The book is about choices, feelings - or lack of feelings, posturing and making the right decisions at the right time. It's also about a variety of losses and the way that people deal with loss.

This is a clever, unique, entertaining and rewarding read. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone with a sense of adventure when it comes to fiction! There aren't enough books like this in the world!

With an "empathically deficient" republican senator who aspires to be Ronald Reagan, a stuffed aardvark, and a Victorian taxidermist, this book literally has it all. It's witty and weird, in a delicious way you can revel in.

This is one of the most bizarre books I've ever read, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Political satire at its finest with parallel love stories for the ages - this book is probably going to be one of the most divisive titles for 2020. That said - whether you love it or hate it - it'll definitely spark a conversation making it not just a fantastic title for library collections but for Book Clubs looking for something completely outside the box.

I present to you the next big Love It or Leave It book. Because this one is gonna be divisive. This review is not going to make a lot of sense so sorry about that up front. Ok how do I talk about this book?

This book is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, in fact, I think many people, many people I know, will not like it. The main characters are pretty unlikeable. The language used in one section is so dense and full of jargon that I could see it actively turn people away. The other section is so “not PC” that a lot of people will be turned off. And like I totally get it, I just think it’s satirical. Or essentially leaning into a stereotype so hard as to show all it’s faults and misgivings.

The plot is wild and both linear and not linear. Each individual story is linear and you’re alternating between the two. Sometimes you get flashbacks. I think the sections built tension so well to lead you into the next one, to keep you invested in coming back for more. Sure I could see people skipping chapters of the POV they don’t like and they may enjoy what they read but I think they’d be missing a whole lot.

This has a dark, crass humor that I love. The writing is a blend of stream of consciousness and blunt overly descriptive writing. Idk I liked it. There's so much packed into such a small book, the characters are vivid and you get so much information about them in things that are said and things that are described. This is like a masterclass in how show and tell work hand in hand to create an amazing story. Honestly such a good read and it’s so short too. Like wow.

I didn’t know what to expect from Enter the Aardvark, a book claiming to be both political satire and a love story. Upon reading the book, I’m leaning more toward political satire, although repressed love is a theme of the book.

I finished reading in two sittings, and although it’s a quick read, it was thought provoking with a blend of tragic and laugh out loud comedic moments.

I tend to read romance novels with HEA/HFN (a personal preference of mine), but I was intrigued by the premise of two seemingly separate stories being connected by the same stuffed aardvark. The book delivers on the promise of the premise, and Anthony has written a clever story with memorable characters (even if a few are meant to be caricatures).

If you’re looking for a unique story that blends repressed love with political satire, check out Enter the Aardvark.