I hadn't read Aimee Bender's previous novels despite hearing much praise about her work, so this is me now joining the chorus of praise wholeheartedly! I found The Butterfly Lampshade an engrossing read from the very first to the very last page. My heart went out to Francie, both the child and the adult, and her entrancing, strange way of seeing the world. Aimee Bender's use of dialogues is nothing short of masterful when it comes to conveying her characters' feelings through what is said, how it is said and by who, as well as what remains unsaid. Mental illness, specifically Francie's mother's bipolar disorder and Francie's own resulting OCD-like tendencies, is treated here in a subtle, intimate manner, making the novel a powerful portrayal of what the inner life of women affected by this type of conditions might look like to an outside observer. As heavy as the subject may sound, there are some nice touches of surreal humour, and the beautiful, sisterly relationship between Francie and her younger cousin Vicky does much to lighten the mood. Highly recommended!

The first half of this book felt like a chore, and I struggled with every word, I struggled to understand the story and understand the characters and make sense of the words. I am glad I persevered though because by the end I did enjoy it on the whole. I wouldn't call it a favourite book, or a book I especially loved, but I didn't hate it either. The characters are complicated, and challenging, and unusual at times. I especially liked Vicky, though I did also warm to Francie in some ways, I also found her difficult to get to know. I'm still not sure I really understand who she is, or even really what her journey has been. But I reached the end, and it sort of all tied together and made sense. It was good to return to Aimee Bender's weird and wonderful mind.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3334929808?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

When as a child Francie’s mother is taken to a mental hospital, Francie moves to her aunt’s house. On her journey to her new home she experiences two peculiar incidents. Year later, fearing she has inherited her mother’s illness, Francie intends to piece together what happened and make sense of those moments.

I enjoyed Aimee Bender’s short story collections as well as her other novel The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, so I was excited to pick this up.

Her writing is perceptive and poetic, and it reads like very fantasy light magical-realism or a contemporary fairy-tale. The Butterfly Lampshade delicately explores themes of childhood trauma, memory, mental-illness and familial bonds.

I really enjoyed this. Though it was slow, the writing was so evocative and vivid. It was a beautiful portrayal of the the exploration of ones own mind and the tenuous relationship between memory and reality. I’m sure this story will be the kind that sticks with me.

Another wonderful novel by Aimee Bender.Theres a touch of magic a wonderful read.Amys books are unique a pleasure to spend time with.#netgalley#randomuj

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because of the vivid, beautifully descriptive writing.

Eight year-old Francie has a lot to deal with when her mentally unstable mother is taken away after a psychotic episode and she has to stay over with a baby-sitter, then travel with a stranger on a train to move in with her aunt.

As a grown-up Francie struggles with three incidents that makes her doubt her own sanity, and finds the need to build a memory tent, a place where she can slow things down, to work through the effect her mother's mental illness had on her childhood.

If you are looking for a fast-paced plot driven book, then swiftly move along. The Butterfly Lampshade is a slow, internal exploration of Francie's life and mind, written in exquisite prose and sprinkled with some magical realism. It definitely hit the spot for me.

Aimee Bender writes absolutely delightful books with a hint of magic without veering into fantasy, and fascinating characters with real nuance and uniqueness

I’m a fan of Aimee Bender. I enjoyed this more than The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake but not as much as An Invisible Sign of My Own. She is very adept at creating believable narrators and approaching themes of mental illness and family relationships in new ways.