I'd like to express my gratitude to both NetGalley and Genevieve Jagger for providing me with an ARC of "Fragile Animals," allowing me to share my honest thoughts on this read.

Noelle's journey, as she grapples with the traumas of her Catholic upbringing while navigating a complex relationship with a man who claims to be a vampire, is both haunting and thought-provoking.

While I found the middle section of the book to be a tad slow, the narrative swiftly regained its momentum towards the end, leaving me unable to tear myself away from the page. Jagger's skillful storytelling and masterful pacing ensured that every twist and turn held my attention, building anticipation for the climactic moments that awaited.

One aspect of "Fragile Animals" that particularly resonated with me was its ability to elicit unexpected emotions, including moments of laughter amidst the tension. These instances of dark humor added depth to the reading experience, serving as a testament to Jagger's ability to craft a narrative that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking.

In conclusion, "Fragile Animals" is a triumph of a novel, offering a compelling exploration of religion, sexuality, and the human psyche against a backdrop of supernatural intrigue. Despite its occasional lulls, the book ultimately delivers a satisfying and memorable reading experience that will linger in the mind long after the final page is turned. Genevieve Jagger has crafted a work that is sure to captivate readers and leave them eagerly awaiting her next literary endeavor.

I’m rating this 3.5 stars (4 star round up)

I really loved Jagger's writing style. I was immediately hooked in the beginning, then it got a bit slow, but she pulled it together for the third act, and I was roped right back in.

My favourite part of this book though, was the discussion of religion/religious trauma, and how it is interlinked. Jagger did a fantastic job connecting religion to Noelle's life, and how it has shaped relationships with herself, her family, Lomie, and the people around her. I also appreciate that the supernatual aspects came secondary, as the real meat of the book seemed to be what I previously mentioned.

Are you going to heaven or hell?
Is it fair that I knew this would be a five star, new favorite by the first chapter? Everything about this book was perfect and crafted in such a way that made me feel compelled to love it no matter what. I instantly clicked with Noelle and the writing. This was just a winner.
We follow Noelle as she travels to the Isle of Bute. There, she stays with an eclectic woman who owns a bed and breakfast. The only other occupant in the house is Moses - a self proclaimed vampire.
Noelle is trying to write her second book of poetry, but soon finds that coming to terms with her past trauma and self are more important. She was raised catholic and has extreme religious guilt. (Same.) So many awful things happened to her and she has not really mourned or faced them. She is self destructive, witty, deprecating and just…. sad. I loved her so much.
We follow Noelle as she befriends this strange vampire man, and get first seat tickets to her childhood and why she is the way she is. Shitty mother, reclusive father trying to do his best, an overlooked daughter who dwells under tables and sees more than what they think.
Noelle’s relationships - both platonic and sexual -, angelic splayed doves, the darkness of a confessional.
I can’t even begin to put into words how this book made me feel and what it has stirred inside of me. I can’t wait to have the final published pages in my hands. Absolutely astounding.
Noelle, I won’t be calling my mom either.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you, Netgalley, and the publisher 404ink for this arc copy.

I had to sit with this for a bit. This spoke to me in so many ways. You know, when a book leaves you staring at a wall after finishing the last page, that it is something that will stick with you for life. This is one of those times, and this is one of those books. In starting Fragile Animals, I really enjoyed the writing of this quirky main character and the setting, but by reading the last page, I didn't realize how cathartic it was.

I went into this book knowing that it was about a girl dealing with leaving catholicism behind and a potential relationship with a vampire. For me, I was intrigued instantly and with my own relationship with catholicism being strained after a childhood in a Catholic private school. I couldn't help myself. My life wasn't like this, but it still helped me heal a bit. And to me, that is what makes an amazing book, and I will probably think about this for years to come. 

In this story, we are jumping back in fourth from the present and past as our MC Noelle grapples with traumatic childhood experiences and the fallout of internalizing it. Noelle finds herself in a small seaside town in Scotland as she essentially forces herself to shake up her current routine. She has isolated and alienated herself from others and has reached a breaking point. On this journey, she stays at a bread and breakfast where we are introduced to some interesting characters.

Through this experience, Noelle embraces her demons as she comes to grips with her own identity and tries to forgive herself and others from past decisions. Lastly, yes, there is a "vampire" named Moses, who is a taxidermist, but was he really or was he just what she needed to face herself in the mirror.

This story is full of beautiful imagery and lyrical writing. There are also quite a few dark scenes. These scenes were uncomfortable but, in my opinion, necessary to push Noelle forward in healing and self-discovery.

I think this author is amazingly talented and I am blown away by this debut novel. I will definitely pick up more.

Unfortunately, this one was just not for me. It's doing a lot of interesting things by weaving together themes of confession, queerness, and vampirism; the particular form the vampirism took is an interesting subversion; Noelle's work as a hotel cleaner offers a lot of avenues for exploration of the novel's motifs. For me, it felt like a draft packed with cool ideas that has not yet found its final form. It's partially an issue of structure - too loose, not propulsive enough - and partially my own stylistic preferences. I found this one overwritten, although the density of impressive, evocative imagery does make me think that restraint and editing could go a long way. For me, the tension at the heart of the novel was not big enough to make an impact, or maybe it's the way it's paced and revealed. I also think that the publisher-provided summary gives far too much away, which further decreases the tension. This is a slow novel that relies heavily on atmosphere; revealing practically everything interesting, including things we don't learn about until the last third, extinguishes the excitement of discovery.

I almost didn’t pick this up and I’m so glad I changed my mind and gave this a chance. I loved this. This is not your typical vampire book. This is a stunning exploration of identity, sexuality, religion, and trauma. The prose is absolutely gorgeous, the characters are compelling, and the atmosphere makes you feel truly enveloped in the setting.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Struggled to switch between the flashbacks and story here, but nonetheless the Catholic guilt was handled really well and I really enjoyed how it was constructed

I’m starting this review about 1/4 of the way into the book mostly because I don’t think I’ll remember so many of the important, yet obscure details given by our narrator. I’m starting to think maybe I’m not smart enough for this story and yet, I can’t put it down.
The prose in this book are beyond belief, truly. Our main character begins her story as though you were a friend, nitty gritty details and internal monologue that sometimes you wish she wouldn’t share. The over sharer herself quickly becomes endearing and realistic in a way that most characters are not. She is, to be frank, a disgusting creature like so many of us are; and not afraid to tell us as much. Perhaps it’s just me, but in that way I related to her.

When I finished-
These characters are real and raw. They show a journey that many of us went through in self discovery. It’s a creative concept to show people their own religious and sexual guilt, in a scope of having you read someone else’s. I felt this book, I believe I will feel it for a long time to come.

I found this a peculiar and interesting read. The beginning quarter lagged a little, and it took me some time to be completely engaged with it. But after that I was compelled. I am perhaps biased as a lover of vampire fiction --- but the theme was done unconventionally and surprised me. The relationships with the protagonist's parents and God felt vital and real, the ending and the romance (if one can call it that) side stepped all cliché. An odd but technically very adept book.

Peak Catholic guilt with a dash of SEVERE mommy issues, painfully accurate queer repression, destructive self-hatred, and confusing vampire sex. I love anything with complex relationships (honest in both intimacy and toxicity), and major bonus points for codependent homoerotic “best friendship” as a cover for being literally in love.

I loved Fragile Animals so much. It’s going to be hard for any other book to top it this year…which means I don’t know how to talk about it, I just want to shove it into your hands.

The writing? Stunning.

The characters? Complex, flawed, raw. Noelle makes some awful choices. I wanted to shake her and hug her, often at the same time.

The vampire? The vampire surprised me, I wasn’t sold on it at first but I was very quickly won over.

Some extra bits I thought were really well done:
the mother/daughter dynamic. The way She is looming behind every page….
and the overwhelming fear of going to Hell for simply being a complex human being.
The anxiety around the confessional coupled with the desire to confess. To rid oneself of “sin”….
And the hypocrisy within the church as a whole..

This book is sad, a bit gross, a little sexy. It’s also weird and unhinged.

And it’s absolutely worth your time.

I was very excited for this one, as it has this very creative concept behind it that I haven't come across before. The writing is charming and darkly atmospheric. However, to me some of the plot points could have been left out of the book and I found them a bit irritating. Still, for a debut this was done surprisingly well and I would be buzzed to read another book from this author.

Perfectly eerie, atmospheric, and at times grotesque, Fragile Animals is a gothic, beautifully crafted debut novel exploring Catholic guilt, childhood trauma, and navigating queerness in the wake of both of those things.

We follow Noelle, an ex-Catholic woman who escapes to a remote island (ostensibly to write her next poetry book, though we get the sense that it's more than likely to get away from something). There she stays in a B&B and meets Moses, a vampire, and they slowly unravel bits of their pasts to each other.

Right away, this novel sets an atmospheric, moody scene and continues to do so throughout. While the pace is slow, no word is wasted. Every sentence is evocative and hauntingly beautiful. Jagger has masterfully captured some of my own feelings, as someone who has grown up in (and grown out of) the church that I have not been able to put into words myself. There were several sentences I underlined, adding only the annotation: "literally".

I loved the comparison of Noelle's mother to God: two distant and unpleaseable parents who Noelle feels she needs to change her very self in order to placate. I also loved the juxtaposition between Noelle, a woman who fears (feared?) death, hell, and the eternal versus Moses, an immortal, unholy vampire, though I wish this idea was explored a bit more.

I have to say that Moses is less involved in the novel than I expected him to be. He is really just a new lens through which Noelle examines her past. Which, as a literary device, is very interesting. But I wonder if his character is a bit underdeveloped?

Also, a small critique: two of the side characters are named fairly similarly and it took me awhile to distinguish who was who.

In the end, this novel was thoroughly enjoyable for me and I did find it to be wonderfully done. I would recommend it without hesitation, especially to those with a strained relationship to religion, and/or lovers of stunning prose.

I personally have never read a book quite like this so it was great to step out of my comfort zone, and I enjoyed reading about subject matters I had very limited knowledge on. Jagger clearly has such a great command of language and some passages were so powerful in the way they were constructed.

My only complaint is the fragmented way the narrative was constructed, as it made it quite difficult for me to understand what was going on until the final 20%. The fact that two significant characters had such similar names was also very confusing to me.

*2.5

An interesting book about religious trauma and exploring sexuality involving ex-Catholic Noelle who always used to fear what God would think of her sins and a vampire named Moses, who she meets while staying in a bed-and-breakfast. If you are after a book with a hot young-looking vampire who sparkles in the sun, this is NOT for you 😂 The vampire in this is old and dirty with gross habits and an interest in taxidermy. He is portrayed in an undesirable way yet Noelle can’t help but be attracted to him. They connect by reminiscing about their past lovers and the main story line is basically a character study on Noelle and how she has been influenced by her upbringing in a strict religious family.

The overall atmosphere is dreary and depressing which in a way reflects how Noelle is feeling inside and the author does this really well through the use of descriptions. I LOVED the chapter titles as they were exciting and made me look forward to reading the chapter.

I really didn’t know how to rate this but I think 2.5/5 is probably accurate just because I don’t know how I feel about it - I honestly felt emotionless while reading it, I’m unsure if it is because of the atmosphere and subject matter. I just couldn’t really get into it. There is definitely a target audience for this book though and I’m sure there are readers who will definitely enjoy this but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

There were also some grammatical errors and incorrect uses of words which I just couldn’t get past:
- e.g. using the word “wretch” instead of “retch” in the sentence “screws up his face like he’s about to wretch.” These words have different meanings.
- Jesus had a typo at one point and was spelt “Jeus”
- One sentence appeared like it was missing a word - “was it meant to be who found the angel corpse?” I feel like it is supposed to read “was it meant to be ME…”

It does require a lot of editing before it’s final publication.

Thank you to netgalley and 404 Ink for the ARC! ✨

I devoured this book. Initially I was aprehensive because the book’s main summary says that it is focused on a woman’s sexual relationship with a vampire, but upon reading the book I feel like the one sexual encounter with the vampire was the least interesting part of the book! I loved the reflections on the hypocrisy and fear of the Catholic church while maintaining a fascination with it - something I identify with. The writing was poetic but also personal and I really felt like I was inside Noelle’s head.
I do think that Moses was the least interesting piece of this work but I understand why he was there - I just think it’s an interesting choice to center the book’s marketing around that but perhaps on a second read I will find the symbolism more important. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone with a relationship with Catholicism and, perhaps even more niche, people who love the musical work of Ethel Cain.

What a labyrinthine journey this book offers, plunging readers into the depths of paranoia, anxiety, and the intricacies of the human psyche with vivid intensity. Jagger's narrative is wholly unique, immersing readers in a world unlike any other I've encountered yet strikingly believable and utterly captivating. Unflinching in its exploration of the darker aspects of humanity, the novel delves into the raw gore of human existence while delicately portraying the fragility of being human.

Cantered around Noelle, a young woman in her twenties who finds herself on a remote Scottish island for an impromptu holiday, the story slowly unravels the reasons behind her desperate escape. Through her journey, the novel intricately examines Noelle's childhood trauma and how it continues to haunt her into adulthood, painting a haunting portrait of resilience and vulnerability.

This book lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned—a haunting, exquisite masterpiece that I'll undoubtedly revisit time and again. The ending, with its tantalizing incompleteness, feels just right, leaving me yearning for more while also savoring the lingering mysteries. As much as I crave to delve back into the complexities of Noelle's existence, I'm equally eager to discover what Jagger has in store for readers next.

This was a grossly fascinating, stream of consciousness type of examination of childhood and religious trauma, Catholic guilt, mommy issues, and repression/exploration of sexuality that I LOVED. The prose was stunning and the grimy but gentle vampire was the cherry on top. My only issue stems from my own personal circumstance of not being raised in or even near the church because I imagine being able to further relate to this book on that level would have made it even more delicious.

Fragile Animals follows protagonist Noelle on a journey of self-forgiveness, seeking relief from the burdens of her past. When she escapes to a small B&B on the Isle of Bute, Noelle develops a bond with her co-guest built upon confessions and shared experiences of estrangement, The novel navigates themes of desire, guilt, religion and redemption.

Noelle's mood and her internal conflict are beautifully reflected in the setting of the novel. The imagery of the weather really help set the tone. Jagger weaves together the present with past memories of Noelle's relationship with her mother who is referred to as "She" or "Her" throughout most of the novel until the very end when the inner turmoil is nearing acceptance. Through the memories the reader cannot help but empathise with the young girl whose mother is seemingly completely disinterested in her and when Noelle finally emerges at the end of the novel resilient and determined it is incredibly emotional.

This is a captivating exploration of sexuality, religion and self-acceptance and I would not hesitate to recommend to others.

This was unlike any book I’ve ever read, really - there were many dark themes, and the religious guilt was felt strongly throughout. This is an incredibly intense piece of work, and I think that the author achieves exactly what was intended.

That being said, I found that it had a tendency to drag in parts, potentially due to the dense writing style. I also wish that the vampire aspect had been explored further, as we are led to believe this is a major part of the story in the synopsis.