The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
by Jenners • 10/15/2011 • 3 Stars, Fiction, G Authors, Literary, M Titles • 49 Comments
The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren GroffPublisher: Hyperion, 2008
Pages: 361
Genre: Fiction, Literary Fiction
Where I Got It: Paperback Swap
My Rating: 3 stars
This was the fourth book I read for the RIP VI Challenge. Because I don’t want to get too far behind writing these reviews, I’m reviewing all my RIP books by answering the 5Ws―Who, What, When, Where, Why. Plus I’ve included my patented Scare-O-Meter Rating system so you can decide if you can handle the level of fright induced by the book.
Scare-O-Meter Rating: 1 screams out of 10. I didn’t find this book scary at all. In fact the parts with the monster that lives in the lake contained the most affecting and lovely writing of the entire book. However, if you changed “screams” to “yawns,” then maybe this book would be 7 yawns out of 10. As you’ll see, I wasn’t a big fan.
WHAT is this book about?
Willie Upton returns to her childhood town of Templeton (standing in for Cooperstown, NY) in disgrace—pregnant with her married professor’s child after a disastrous love affair. Although she vowed never to return to Templeton, she has nowhere else to turn … and she hates that she needs her ex-hippie-turned-born-again mother Vivienne to help her cope with her mess. On the day she returns to Templeton, a prehistoric monster is found floating in Lake Glimmerglass. Townspeople have heard about the mysterious Glimmy, but actual proof that it exists throws the town into a tailspin. As Willie tries to decide what to do with “The Lump” growing inside her, her mother reveals another secret: Willie’s father is actually from Templeton—not a random man from a free-love commune as Willie has always been told. This news gives Willie a purpose to her days, and she decides to fiigure out who her father is. Her only clue? Her father was also related to the town’s founding father, Marmaduke Temple. As she researches her family history, Willie discovers long-buried secrets and Templeton’s hidden history. As her family tree expands and develops, Willie begins to come to terms with her past, present and future.
WHO do we meet?
- Willie is a contradiction. Beautiful and smart, she seems to have it all together. But as we get to know her, we realize she is a complete mess—with little idea of what she wants out of life or how to get it.
- Vivienne, Willie’s mother, was the most interesting character in the book for me. Although we mostly see her through Willie’s jaundiced eyes, we come to realize she is much wiser and more caring than Willie gives her credit for.
- Clarissa is Willie’s best friend who is living in San Francisco. She is suffering from lupus and has been having some serious health and marital problems lately. Yet she is supportive of Willie, despite Willie’s oftentimes selfish behavior.
- Willie’s ancestors, the Temples, are a complex family—filled with illegitimate children, secret affairs, deceit, madness, secrets and lies. As Willie sorts through the archives in the town library, we learn about her ancestors through letters, journals and their own memories.
WHEN and WHERE does the book take place?
The book takes place in Templeton, New York in modern times, with frequent flashbacks to the past, starting from when the town was founded in 1785. As Groff writes in the Author’s Note, Templeton is really based on the history and people of her hometown of Cooperstown, New York (including James Fenimore Cooper). Yet as she was doing research, she found that:
…the facts drifted from their moorings. They began shaping themselves into stories in my head, taking over. Dates switched, babies were born who never actually existed, historical figures grew new personalities and began to do frightening things. I slowly began to notice that I wasn’t writing about Cooperstown anymore, but rather a slantwise version of the original.
WHY should you read this book?
Well, I’m not really sure that you should. I found myself slogging through this book at a snail’s pace—soldiering on when I really didn’t care all that much about it. (Why I cannot just quit a book I’m not enjoying, I don’t know. I really need to learn how to do this.) The book is very ambitious—with Groff making up an entire history for Willie’s ancestors and writing from various points of view. She even goes so far as to include pictures and photographs of the characters she is writing about. Groff also includes a Temple family tree, which keeps being updated and expanded throughout the book as Willie discovers new facts about her heritage. Groff event co-opts James Fenimore Cooper’s fictional characters (Natty Bumppo, Uncas, Cora Monroe) and includes them in the story. While I admire what she is attempting to do, it didn’t work for me as a novel. I often found it tedious, and I had a difficult time keeping all the family history stuff straight in my head.
Another major problem was that I found Willie really annoying. Plus, the big “secret” of Willie discovering her father’s identity totally fizzled for me. When we find out, my only reaction was “Huh. Whatever.” I’m also unsure why Groff included the whole prehistoric monster in the lake. I’m sure it is a metaphor for something or other, but it didn’t really fit in with the story all that well. I guess what I’m trying to say is that this book felt like a big mess … as if Groff threw a lot of things into a blender and came out with a big jumble of a narrative. At times, I could glimpse what she was trying to do, but, in the end, the book didn’t work for me at all. However, if you are a fan of James Fenimore Cooper or have been to Cooperstown, maybe this book would work better for you. It ended up not being my cup of tea at all.
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I’m not sure this book is for me, either. I have to say, though – I love the cover! It’s very “The Night Circus”-ish, with its black/white/red color scheme.
It is amazing how eye-catching those colors are! I’ve been hearing such raves about The Night Circus that I must read it soon!
Hey, we both gave a book the same number of stars! That’s not like us. : )
I’ve got a review on GoodReads from about a year ago, if you’re interested. Or even in the more likely event that you aren’t interested!
You’re right … that is very unlike us. I did read your review. We didn’t exactly not like it for the same reasons but we didn’t fall in love with it.
This is one book that would have greatly benefitted from a hefty slashing of the red pencil!! MOT was a yawnfest for me.
I’m with you. I remembered your warning but kept slogging anyway.
When this first came out, I was smitten with it because of that gorgeous cover. I quickly added it to my virtual TBR list. Later, I found a copy at the library and right there in the library, read the first few pages and went, meh. I never did read it.
You have a visual TBR list … how fascinating. And you made the right decision in the library.
Uh oh!
I actually really enjoyed this book. I went into it not thinking that it was going to be scary, but rather more of the magical realism type and ended up really loving the descriptions, the writing, and the characters (although Willie could get annoying). I’m really looking forward to more from Lauren Groff, and maybe you’ll give her a second chance? 
I’m glad you enjoyed it more than I did. I didn’t really have any expectations for it but I wasn’t expecting what I got!! It just wasn’t a good fit for me. I MIGHT give Groff a second chance but I’d have to see some stellar reviews of the book first!
i’m surprised this one garnered three stars when you seem so ‘meh’ about it. also, i just started breaking up with books that don’t work for me–you should try it because it’s so liberating! for my whole life i’ve barely ever been able to quit a book but it is going to free me up for better books.
I need to start doing this!! My life would be better all around. (And what the heck are you doing blog hopping when you are on vacation Missy!) I gave it three stars because I knew it wasn’t a good fit for me but it might be for others. Plus I gave her some credit for the effort.
Too bad this fizzled. You are doing great with this challenge.
The fact that the challenge requires ONLY four books means I can rock out at it! : )
Not a book I enjoyed either – you can see my review here at
http://pettywitter.blogspot.com/2011/01/monsters-of-templeton.html
A reading group read, nearly everyone else in the group really enjoyed it.
Oh … I can’t wait to read your review!! I’m glad you didn’t like it either. Perhaps we are in the minority.
I don’t know if I would like the book, but I the fact that it is not scary really appeals to me.
You could read this book all night long in an abandoned house all by yourself with only candlelight to read by and not get scared once.
Sorry this didn’t work for you. I started to read this one a while back but had to return it to the library. It was the cover that sucked me in. Maybe now I won’t borrow it again. Thanks for the review
You are the second person to mention how they got sucked in by the cover!!! It is a good one … too bad the insides don’t live up to the promise of the cover.
Well, the plot sounds kinda interesting, but if you slogged through it then I am definitely skipping it. Calling your unborn baby the lump is a new one.
The plot does sound interesting but it just didn’t come together. It was very very ambitious and I think she just didn’t make it all come together.
Humph. I’ll probably win this in your giveaway now that I see you didn’t like it. Oh well, IF I won it I would still give it a chance. We all have different tastes.
Usually I will read and review a book first before a giveaway. I tend not to give away books I don’t like. I’ll swap them or something but I thought I’d toss in all my RIP books. But, like you said, you may end up loving it!
This is one of those rare books I would absolutely purchase just for the cover. I had no idea what it was about. There is a monster that lives in the lake? Who would have thought. I don’t think this is one I’ll be reading. Sorry you didn’t much like it!
I agree that the cover is eye-catching. I was drawn to it too.
Good review – but I’m going to give this a miss.
I agree with your decision! : )
I was considering this book as it is on sale right now for the Nook but after reading your review I think it is not worth $2.99. Thanks for saving me from a book I more than likely wouldn’t have finished. I hate when a book has metaphors I don’t get. They need to be obvious to the reader or else they should not be included.
Well, I got really really lazy as I wasn’t liking the book and finishing it out of a weird sense of obligation. I’m sure you can find a better book for $2.99!
Yes you have to learn how to put the book down if you don’t like it lol! It does sound like theres a lot going on but not necessarily anything super interesting. I hate when I’m reading a book and something “big” happens and it’s not really that big after all.
I know! I need to work on this. I don’t know why I do this to myself. And the whole father thing was so anticlimactic that I can’t believe she hung the whole story on it!
It’s hard to enjoy a book when the main character is annoying and especially when that’s not the only problem with the book. The book sounds awfully weird….she’s pregnant and a prehistoric monster is found in the lake of her hometown. Is there supposed to be a connectiomn here? A metaphor between the 2? The story sounds a bit tedious, too.
I’m sorry this wasn’t a great experience for you. I really appreciate your honest, detailed review
)
I hope the next book you read is better (Domestic Violets is terrific and, although I have yet to read Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter it’s received rave reviews as I’m sure you know. Happy Reading!)
It felt tedious. Just too much mashed together and it didn’t come together for me. I am liking Domestic Violets … and Crooked Letter Crooked Letter so I’m in a happier reading place now!
I’m a slogger too – I wonder what it is about us that makes us that way? I may skip this book.
I wish I could learn how to stop. It is one thing when it is a book you accepted for review … those I feel obligated to finish. But this was my own book with no obligations and I still felt like I had to read it. We need help!
I can already tell this one isn’t for me. Sorry you were so bored with it!
I wish I’d quit earlier. I must learn to DNF a book!
Definitely doesn’t sound like a read I should pick up. I really hate being bored while reading…
Nothing worse than reading a book that feels like a chore.
I have read quite a few reviews of this book, and they all seem to share the opinion that it was somewhat lackluster. I have also heard that Groff uses a lot of weird character names and incidents in an attempt to be clever, and that really backfires. I have to say that I am pretty sure that I am not going to be reading this book, because it just sounds too poorly constructed for me, but I did appreciate reading your candid thoughts on it. I am sorry you had to slog your way through it!
Well, it is my own fault for slogging through … I just can’t quit a book I’m not liking. (It wasn’t even a review copy for goodness sake!) I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who wasn’t a big fan of the book.
This sounds pretty uninspiring! Thanks for reading it for us…
She had some interesting ideas but it just didn’t work out for me.
Aww, sorry this one didn’t quite work for you. I really liked this one (isn’t it funny how the same book can have two different impacts on people?) and even though I agree with you on the whole “who’s the daddy?” storyline (I was kind of let down by that resolution), I loved so much about this one.
I’ll link to your review once I get around to finishing mine … (I only finished the book in APRIL, for goodness sakes). :/
I’ll be looking forward to seeing your thoughts on this one since it sounds like we had two different experiences with it.
I grabbed this off the library shelf about a week or two ago thinking 1) hey this looks like it might be interesting, and 2) I know I’ve seen this somewhere on the blogs before. After I got home I did a search and found your giveaway that included this one. Then I started trying to read it, and after a few pages put it in the pile to go back to the library. I’m glad to hear from your review that it sounds like I made a good decision on that part!
I would wholeheartedly agree with your decision!