Poor Deer by Claire Oshetsky

Poor Deer

Author: Claire Oshetsky

Genre: Fiction, Coming-of-Age

Format: Physical Purchase

Publish Date: January 2024

Read: March 2024

Story Synopsis: Margaret Murphy’s earliest memory is playing with her friend, Agnes when they were both four years old. After a tragic event, Margaret grapples with life without her friend and an ever-distant mother. An imaginative child, Margaret creates various narratives to explain her childhood and conjures an imaginary creature, Poor Deer. Poor Deer guides her in unexpected ways to make certain decisions until one day when Poor Deer commands Margaret to write down the truth.

But what is the truth?

Why does this book beguile? Another installment in “weird girl fiction,” Poor Deer is a weird book. There are a plethora of factors to consider when reading this novel, the most important of which is the time frame. I believe this book to be set in the 1950s, making the relationships much more understandable and believable. Ultimately, Poor Deer is about childhood trauma and how the main character copes with a tragic event when she’s not given any support.

Rating: 3/5

Link*: Poor Deer by Claire Oshetsky

If you’re interested in this, read*: The Forest Brims Over by Maru Ayase