Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

by Olga Tokarczuk
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Literary Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 657
  • Added: 2025-09-18
  • Updated: 2025-09-18
  • ISBN: 9781432872755
  • Publisher: Thorndike Press Large Print
  • Published: 2020-01-29
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99

Janina, a recluse in a remote Polish village, spends her days studying astrology, translating William Blake's poetry, and caring for the summer homes of wealthy Warsaw residents. Her eccentricities and preference for animal company only add to her reputation as a village crank. When her neighbor, Big Foot, turns up dead, followed by other suspicious deaths, Janina inserts herself into the investigation, certain she knows the truth. As she navigates the murky line between sanity and madness, justice and tradition, she questions who is deemed worthy of a voice. A deeply satisfying thriller with a fairy-tale quality, this novel explores themes of autonomy and fate. Janina's unique perspective and her determination to uncover the truth make for a provocative and engaging read.

Reviews
Writing at Large · 2023-05-01
profound 4.50

The novel is described as a modern masterpiece that is deeply moving and thought-provoking. It blends dark humor with profound existential questions.

This reviewer finds the novel to be a modern masterpiece, praising its ability to be both deeply moving and thought-provoking. They highlight the unique blend of dark humor and profound existential questions, making it a standout piece of literature. The story's exploration of themes like justice and morality is particularly noted for its depth and originality.

Quick quotes

    "Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead" is a modern masterpiece, and one that is deeply moving and thought provoking at the same time.

    A deeply satisfying thriller cum fairy tale, Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead is a provocative exploration of the murky borderland.

    This is not the kind of book you love, maybe, but it's clever and humorous and insightful.

The Book Stop · 2020-12-21
thought-provoking 3.50

The novel is described as clever, humorous, and insightful, weaving together interesting themes and ideas. It is seen as a thought-provoking read.

The Book Stop's review emphasizes the novel's cleverness, humor, and insight, noting that it is not necessarily a book one loves but certainly appreciates for its depth. The reviewer highlights Tokarczuk's ability to weave together a variety of interesting themes and ideas, making the novel a thought-provoking and engaging read. The dark humor and philosophical undertones are particularly noted for their impact.

Quick quotes

    This is not the kind of book you love, maybe, but it's clever and humorous and insightful.

    Tokarczuk weaves together a number of interesting themes and ideas.

    It's not a mystery though there is a mystery at the centre of it. It's not a thriller but it does leave you with an unsettling feeling all the way through.

The Guardian · 2018-09-21
original 4.00

The book is praised for its unique blend of murder mystery, dark feminist comedy, and a tribute to William Blake. It is seen as a compelling and original work.

The Guardian's review highlights the book's astonishing amalgamation of genres, including murder mystery, dark feminist comedy, and a paean to William Blake. This reviewer appreciates the novel's originality and its ability to tackle complex themes with a unique perspective. The story's dark humor and deep philosophical undertones are particularly commended.

Quick quotes

    An astonishing amalgam of murder mystery, dark feminist comedy and paean to William Blake from the Polish winner of the 2018 International Man Booker prize.

    Really, Olga Tokarczuk's defies categorisation. A murder mystery containing existential questions and astrology. A dark comedy threaded with the ...

    Olga Tokarczuk's Drive Your Plow Over The Bones of the Dead is a beautifully-written and philosophically intriguing novel with strong animal rights undertones.

Appears in Lists