3.5 stars. This book is fun for a certain type of person interested in modern politics - there's intrigue, humor, historical references. I ended up enjoying one out of the two main perspectives. The "current" perspective felt too flat and one-dimensional for me. Perhaps I was not reading closely, but I REALLY did not understand the ending. ( )

this is a book I did not finish, I was listening to the audio and I couldn't stand it, I feel it would have been better if I had read it instead, there is so much potential in the cynicism & humor. perhaps one day I will give it another chance.

Not sure how I forgot to write anything about this at the time.

It's remarkably funny, with a set-piece between a congressman (who feels like the model for Matt Gaetz rather than the other way around) and a patrol officer reaching Amis-ian highs of hilarity.

There is some poignancy by the end, but it's tricky, as it is unclear how much self-awareness any of the characters gain, and tragedy generally requires an "ah-ha!" moment for the protagonist(s).

Highly recommended at its length. I listened to nearly the entirety in one day, and had enough fun to make doing so a priority. ( )

ENTER THE AARDVARK is written by Jessica Anthony.
This title is one of Maine Public Radio’s online ALL BOOKS CONSIDERED Book Club picks for March 2022. A terrific idea and an opportunity to learn about and access works by Maine authors.
“Early one August morning, millennial congressman Alexander Paine Wilson (R) receives a mysterious package in the mail. Inside is an enormous taxidermied aardvark.
What does it mean? Well, everything!
Hurtling from the beginning of the universe to present-day Washington, DC, this astonishing edge-of-your-seat novel is at once a piercing look into the sick heart of our democracy and a profoundly moving meditation on the nature of love, power and evil. In the end you will not only know the meaning of the aardvark, you will see our current reality through new eyes.”

I am having trouble writing a coherent review, so I will just spontaneously jot down my impressions!
I was prepared not to like this book but ended up liking it a lot.
I loved the sketch on the title page - very serene for what was to follow
I loved the introduction - very fine evolutionary prose about aardvarks
Hmmmm - I’ve never really thought about aardvarks before
ENTER THE AARDVARK is funny, hilariously funny, in a very dark way
I learned a lot of crazy info and terms
Our millennial congressman, Alexander Paine Wilson, idolizes Ronald Wilson Reagan
Alexander Paine Wilson is a bachelor who is very unsure and confused about his own sexuality
Alexander Paine Wilson is extremely pretentious in a disturbing, millennial, brand-name sort of way.
I can’t say that taxidermy is a subject I read about or care about (I have never read about it or cared about it) especially in its context as a religion
I dislike Ronald Reagan even more than I did before reading this book. And I have developed a fondness for aardvarks.
in 1875, we meet Sir Richard Ostlet in Namibia
we also meet Titus Downing, taxidermist extraordinaire, in his shop at 24 Victoria Terrace in Royal Leamington Spa (England)
Taxidermy according to Mr. Downing is about LIFE, REBIRTH, a RELIGION
otherwordly visions
is reincarnation possible?
new terms and words I learned about - - - - - -
spontaneous globe luxation’ “a rare but real event. Luxation occurs when the equator of the globe is allowed to protrude anterior to the eyelid aperture” I think it means that one’s eyeballs can pop out of one’s head
plantigrade - a type of locomotion (can’t get that song out of my head now!) ‘walking on the soles of the feet, like a human or bear’
digigrade - a type of locomotion ‘ walking on its toes and not touching the ground with its heels, as a cat, dog or rodent. Humans become digigrade when wearing high heels’
unguligrade - another form of locomotion ‘odd-toed - horses, rhinos, tapirs and even-toed - camels, sheep, deer’
Who knew these words or terms??!!
I liked this book a lot (even though I am a bit confused) and want to thank the author, Jessica Anthony, Maine Public Radio (for its eclectic Book Club pick) and Independent Booksellers everywhere. ***** ( )

3.35 This farce unfolds in present-day Washington, DC, and Victorian England. Read my full review here. ( )