Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips
Published by Scribner, 2019
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Though I had been pre-warned to go into this expecting something that erred more towards literary fiction than your typical thriller, I can’t deny I was still left a little perplexed by the way the book has been presented and marketed. Words like, ‘propulsive’, ‘compelling’, and ‘riveting page-turner’ adorn the cover, and the basic setup has all the hallmarks of an addictive whodunnit: two young sisters are kidnapped, and we see the ripple effect this crime has on their remote Russian community.
In reality, this book is very much a slow burn – to the extent that I actually found some sections a bit of a slog to get through. The supposed lynchpin of the novel – the disappearance of the young girls – takes a backseat for the vast majority of the novel, barely even mentioned in most chapters. It serves more as a plot device for Phillips to explore the themes this book really set out to tackle: the engrained racism, misogyny, and homophobia that cause certain communities to close ranks and cast suspicion at those considered ‘other’. In particular, the book is concerned with the hypocrisy of the hostility shown towards a country’s indigenous population, when their culture has been so marginalized that they are made to feel like the intruders.
The main stumbling block that stopped me from fully investing in the narrative was how disjointed it was. This was due in large part to the sheer number of point-of-view characters we follow – a different one in every chapter. Some are directly linked to others; some marginally so; others are highly removed from the main story arc and are never so much as mentioned again. For me, the most interesting and successful chapters by far were the ones that opened and closed the book. It seems no coincidence that these are the only chapters that focus directly on the core plot point. The former follows the sisters themselves on the day of their kidnap – an opening chapter that was phenomenally well executed; tense, anxiety inducing, and heartbreaking all at once – while the latter follows their mother almost a year after their disappearance, as clues to their fate finally start to fall into place.
Though a couple of seemingly disparate plot threads and characters did gain additional context in the final chapter, creating a considerably more impressive and satisfying bigger picture, a few too many chapters along the way just felt extraneous to me, with almost every subplot introduced in these narrative off-shoots remaining unresolved.
Ultimately, the book ending up feeling more like a series of loosely interconnected short stories that placed this community, its many prejudices, and the daily sorrows of its people under the microscope. That, in itself, is an interesting enough setup with plenty of scope for Phillips to explore her themes and show off her excellent prose. It’s in that respect (and feel free to call me cynical) that the thriller-esque framing came off predominantly like a push to make the book more marketable.
This is one of those reviews that feels more negative than I’d like it to, simply because I went into the book with high hopes of loving it. Phillips is a talented writer who explores complex themes with the nuance they warrant, and presents her characters as realistically flawed and human. The narrative structure may not have worked for me in this instance, but I will certainly keep an eye out for whatever she does next.
If you’d like to pick up a copy of Disappearing Earth, you can find it on Book Depository with free shipping by clicking here.
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I have an arc of this and was quite drawn to it, probably because it sounds a lot like Jon McGregor’s masterful Resevoir 13. Good to hear about your reservations, I’ll reserve judgement!
I think most of my disappointment was based in expectation versus reality, so hopefully you’ll click with it better than I did, having a better idea of what to anticipate. Phillips is undoubtedly a talented writer, and there was lots to admire here. And for what it’s worth, I think Rachel gave it 5 stars, so there’s every chance you’ll love it!
Thanks Callum!
I wasn’t sure about this one and this review hasn’t encouraged me! I love multiple POVs when done well, but I hate it when authors use them for the sake of it or because they can’t work out how to plot their novel with fewer POV characters, especially as it then gives the technique a bad name.
Same here! I can absolutely see what Phillips was going for with the multiple POVs in this instance, and where it worked it was excellent. But I can’t deny it felt to me like there were a few too many.
Dang, I hope I didn’t overhype this for you! I totally understand your criticisms though and I agree that the marketing for this one has been terrible, and I do wonder how much Phillips’ editors encouraged her to play up the thriller angle when it was clearly never this book’s main conceit. I’m glad you didn’t hate it though! She’s definitely going to be an interesting writer to watch.
I hold you entirely responsible 😂 Don’t worry, in all seriousness I overhyped it myself, and it was largely the marketing’s fault. Phillips is a great writer though! I would definitely still read more from her now I have a better understanding of what her style really is.
It doesn’t exactly sound like a page-turner! I don’t necessarily dislike disparate plot threads, as long as you get some sense of meaning and context in the end. Doubt this one is for me though.
The story threads did weave together a little bit towards the end, but not quite enough to justify how disjointed the narrative felt along the way, sadly. Still, a writer to watch!
i just read this and i felt very much the same way! i don’t understand the marketing behind it because it’s absolutely a slow burn, and i don’t think i’d describe it as mystery/thriller. but, i still *enjoyed* it and i LOVED the ending!
I’m glad to hear it wasn’t just me who felt that way! But yes, I did enjoy the way she brought everything together at the end. 😊
Great review! I don’t enjoy slow burns so I will avoid this one.
Thanks!
I was interested in this book and yers be the first review I have seen for it. I am glad I read this because I do not think this would work for me at all. So saved loot and time. Thanks matey.
x The Captain
My pleasure; glad to have helped!
Ooh, great review, I’ve had my eye on this book! I actually just picked up a copy I’m hoping to read in February, so it’s good to adjust my expectations a bit going in. I didn’t realize the kidnapping element was SUCH a small part of the novel. But I’m glad you enjoyed this at least a little!
Thank you! I’m excited for your thoughts on this one! It’s definitely a good book when you know what to expect, and I know Rachel loved it, so hopefully you’ll click with it better than I did 😊
So I just picked this one up from the library and read the opening chapter with the two girls at the beach and I’m not sure if I should keep reading or not. I was feeling like it would be too stressful for me to read but your review has me wondering if maybe I could handle it after all. But is it worth it is now the question!
The first chapter is incredibly anxiety inducing, so I can totally understand why it made you hesitant to carry on – especially having young children yourself.
The focus is elsewhere for the vast majority of the novel, and i won’t spoil the outcome, of course, but I will say there’s no on-the-page suffering where the young girls are concerned.
It’s an interesting and largely well constructed novel – if not what I expected – so I’d be very intrigued to hear your thoughts if you decide to carry on with it. But I will completely understand if you decide it’s not for you.
Thanks for the info! From the moment they spotted the man on the beach I was questioning why I’d begun this book! Philips definitely knows how to get the reader’s attention.
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