What We Fed to the Manticore

Written by Talia Lakshmi Kolluri

Narrated by Nikki Massoud and Neil Shah

In nine stories that span the globe, What We Fed to the Manticore takes readers inside the minds of a full cast of animal narrators to understand the triumphs, heartbreaks, and complexities of the creatures that share our world.

Through nine emotionally vivid stories, all narrated from animal perspectives, Talia Lakshmi Kolluri’s debut collection explores themes of environmentalism, conservation, identity, belonging, loss, and family with resounding heart and deep tenderness. In Kolluri’s pages, a faithful
hound mourns the loss of the endangered rhino he swore to protect. Vultures seek meaning as they attend to the antelope that perished in Central Asia. A beloved donkey’s loyalty to a zookeeper in Gaza is put to the ultimate test. And a wounded pigeon in Delhi finds an unlikely friend.

In striking, immersive detail against the backdrop of an ever-changing international landscape, What We Fed to the Manticore speaks to the fears and joys of the creatures we share our world with, and ultimately places the reader under the rich canopy of the tree of life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781705070512

Reviews for What We Fed to the Manticore

[castlelass · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the best short story collections I have read. The author is telling these nine stories from the perspective of animals. It is extremely creative and makes extensive use of magical realism. The stories read like fables or myths, and contain elements of commentary on our society, the environment, the way people treat animals, and connections between humans and animals. My favorites are The Dog Star Is the Brightest Star in the Sky, The Open Ocean is an Endless Desert, and Let Your Body Meet the Ground. There is not a dud in the bunch. It is a wonderful group of stories and highly recommended.

[anniik_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

TW/CW: War, animal death, animal injuryREVIEW: I was given a free copy of this book by Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.I loved this book! What We Fed to the Manticore is a series of nine short stories narrated by various animals. While the stories are separate, and unrelated, they also feed into some interesting themes such as: animals vs their environments, animals vs. man, animals vs. climate change and many others. The stories are for the most part heartbreaking – some worse the others, but they are also stories that stay with you and images and thoughts the reader will keep close to them for quite some time.