Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk is a literary murder mystery rich with symbolism, cloaked in dark humour, and full of existential ideas. The book explores the relationships between the useful & useless, the hunter & hunted, and begs the question, “Who are we to decide?” It’s a story worthy of discussion, though it might not be for everyone.

What makes DYPOTBOTD so memorable is the eccentric, witty, and endearing narrator, Janina Duszejko. Janina is a single, older woman, who lives by herself in a remote area, she’s a vegetarian plagued by undiagnosed physical & psychological “ailments”, a student of astrology, has an affinity for animals, and, would in fact, be quite upset if she heard us refer to her by her given name!

So, when we came to the question on our Book Banter bookmark, “Which character steals the show” it was undoubtedly our unapologetic, reflective, and wacky protagonist who carries this character-driven novel on her back! Like the story itself, the narrator’s voice is wholly original and one that won’t be forgotten.

If you read this book, we highly recommend it as a buddy read or book club book because there are just too many layers that you’ll want to discuss! 🧅