The Perfect Couple: "That Monkey Is Dead"

That Monkey Is Dead is a novel by Kate Grenville that was first published in 2020. The novel tells the story of a young woman named Zelda who is forced to confront her family's dark past after her grandmother dies and leaves her a strange inheritance.

The Perfect Couple: That Monkey is Dead

by Will Bevis

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	504 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	16 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

Zelda is a successful artist living in contemporary Australia. She has a loving husband and two young children. But when her grandmother dies, Zelda is shocked to learn that she has inherited a piece of land in rural Queensland. The land is home to a dilapidated farmhouse and a large gum tree. Zelda and her husband travel to Queensland to inspect the property, and they soon discover that the tree is home to a colony of monkeys.

Zelda is fascinated by the monkeys, and she begins to spend more and more time observing them. She learns that the monkeys are a source of great comfort to her, and she begins to feel a connection to them. But Zelda's husband is not as comfortable with the monkeys, and he begins to worry that they are a threat to their children.

As Zelda spends more time with the monkeys, she begins to learn more about her family's past. She learns that her grandmother was a member of a cult that believed that the monkeys were sacred. Zelda also learns that her grandfather was a violent man who abused her grandmother.

Zelda's discovery of her family's past is a source of great pain and anger for her. She begins to question everything she thought she knew about her family, and she struggles to reconcile her love for her grandmother with her knowledge of her grandfather's crimes.

That Monkey Is Dead is a powerful and moving novel about the complexities of family, love, and forgiveness. Grenville's writing is beautiful and evocative, and she creates a cast of characters that are both complex and sympathetic. The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary Australian literature.

Review

That Monkey Is Dead is a stunning novel that will stay with you long after you finish it. Grenville's writing is beautiful and evocative, and she creates a cast of characters that are both complex and sympathetic. The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary Australian literature.

One of the things I loved most about That Monkey Is Dead was the way that Grenville explored the complexities of family. Zelda's relationship with her grandmother is both loving and strained, and it is clear that Zelda is still struggling to come to terms with her grandmother's death. Zelda's husband is also a complex character. He is a loving and supportive husband, but he is also uncomfortable with Zelda's fascination with the monkeys. The tension between Zelda and her husband adds an extra layer of conflict to the novel.

Grenville also does a great job of exploring the themes of love and forgiveness. Zelda's love for her grandmother is unwavering, even after she learns about her grandfather's crimes. Zelda's struggle to forgive her grandfather is a powerful and moving story, and it is one that will resonate with many readers.

Overall, That Monkey Is Dead is a powerful and moving novel that will stay with you long after you finish it. Grenville's writing is beautiful and evocative, and she creates a cast of characters that are both complex and sympathetic. The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary Australian literature.

The Perfect Couple: That Monkey is Dead

by Will Bevis

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	504 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	16 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE