Book Review: When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

Hey everyone! I recently finished When God Was a Rabbit and I really enjoyed it. It was a pretty unusual read so I thought you guys would like to know my thoughts about it. Here we go!

Cover and description from Goodreads

This is a book about a brother and a sister. It's a book about secrets and starting over, friendship and family, triumph and tragedy, and everything in between. More than anything, it's a book about love in all its forms.

In a remarkably honest and confident voice, Sarah Winman has written the story of a memorable young heroine, Elly, and her loss of innocence- a magical portrait of growing up and the pull and power of family ties. From Essex and Cornwall to the streets of New York, from 1968 to the events of 9/11, When God Was a Rabbit follows the evolving bond of love and secrets between Elly and her brother Joe, and her increasing concern for an unusual best friend, Jenny Penny, who has secrets of her own. With its wit and humor, engaging characters whose eccentricities are adroitly and sometimes darkly drawn, and its themes of memory and identity, When God Was a Rabbit is a love letter to true friendship and fraternal love.

What's the deal?

When God Was a Rabbit is a complex, thought-provoking book about friendship and family, and especially the relationship between Elly and her elder brother Joe. The book begins in 1968 at Elly's birth. Almost immediately, Joe is seen as a protector and comforter, the most important and constant thing in Elly's life. We then follow the siblings through the years - Elly gets a rabbit, whom Joe names God, she makes a new friend (Jenny Penny), she learns a shocking secret about Joe that must not be told. But through thick and thin Elly and Joe stick together. Even other friendships, illicit relationships and scandalous secrets don't get between them. The book also follows them both through adolescence in a tranquil, idyllic, house right next to the sea, and into adulthood, when Elly is cooped up in a tiny flat and Joe has fled to New York to escape himself. In spirit at least, Elly manages to escape with him. Life continues to throw them curve-balls however, and one of the most terrible tragedies of the modern world threatens their bond, happiness, and even existence.

How does it work?

When God Was a Rabbit is written in first person narrative - the narrator is the main protagonist, Elly. At times, the narrative can be very disjointed, but it's fast paced and interesting throughout. There's a pretty heady mix of angst, joy and passion from beginning to end, as well as mystery and suspense. Although Elly (and Joe) are the main characters, the supporting characters all have their own problems and joys too, most notably Aunt Nancy, Jenny Penny, Charlie, Arthur and Ginger. The entire book is from Elly's point of view, but manages to do a pretty good job of telling the other characters' stories too.

Completely Loved:

• This book has such an interesting concept. I don't think I've read anything that travels to such depths of philosophy and mind without being too heavy or academic. It was funny, heart warming and interesting all the way through.
• The themes running through this book were beautifully interwoven. As well as the obvious relationship/family/friendship thing going on, there was amazing thoughts of religion and belonging, loss and sacrifice, hope and joy threading through each chapter and scene in a way that is obvious and yet not unbearably so.

Not so much:

• I felt like some of the themes running through the book were not tied up neatly. A lot was left to speculation, some of it felt too "fantasy" to belong in the real world setting of the book, and in some parts (and I don't know about you but) I just wished things had been explained, or at least tied up a little more thoroughly.
• Also, in some parts, what was actually happening was quite unclear. This sort of fits in with the style of narration and all that, so didn't feel completely amiss, but at some points I had to go back a few pages, reread some passages and then go "oh right, that's what happened there". 

 Quotes

"I divide my life into two parts. Not really a before and after, more as if they are bookends, holding together flaccid years of empty musings, years of the late adolescence or the twentysomething whose coat of adulthood simply does not fit" - Elly, at the first part of the book.

"My feet felt the earth as fragile as eggshells"

"I stared at her, both attracted and repulsed by the suddenness of her violence, by the calm now sweeping across her face" - Elly, on Jenny Penny.

"It was an exaggerated energy born of the dangerous, an energy that could unexpectedly turn play into war"

"It is the source of art, of beauty, of love, and proffers the ultimate goodness to mankind. That to me is God. That to me is life"

Final Thoughts

I give When God Was a Rabbit 3.5 out of 5. It was a haunting, complex novel that resonates and stays with you long after you finish it. It was, all at once, easy to read and yet full of philosophical meaning. I would definitely recommend this to young adults, teenagers trying to find their way, or anyone who wants their faith in the world to be reaffirmed.

Have you read When God Was a Rabbit? If so, leave a comment telling me if you enjoyed it or not, and why. Maybe this book isn't for everyone, but I definitely think you should give it a chance! I'm sorry I've got a little behind schedule this week, and so my next My Mad Fat Diary re-watch post will be up a little later than planned (probably Friday). See you then!

February Wrap Up and March Goals

Hey everyone. As promised, this post is a February wrap up and March goals type thing - basically all the books I've read in the month of February and the books I plan on reading in March. This will be a monthly feature, I think, to help me keep up with myself. So, let's crack on!

February Wrap Up

• The first book I read in February was Gypsy Wedding Dreams by Thelma Madine. I quite enjoyed this book, and it only took a few days to read in those little boring moments of the day. I did a review of this, which you can find here.
• The second book was Flour Babies by Anne Fine. This was a shortish one that I never actually did a review on. I've read it a few times before and, although it's far from a favourite of mine, I read it just to pass a lunchtime at college. It was okay, but I would only read it if I was needed something quick to fill some time, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it eagerly to people.
• The third book of February was Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd. As you might remember from my review of this one (which can be found here), I really enjoyed this book. It was pretty fast paced, and so quick to get through, but you didn't feel like you were rushing it. I would definitely recommend this one, so pick it up and read if you ever see it around. I'd never heard of it before I spotted it in the library and borrowed it for one of my reading challenges, but I'm so glad I picked it up.
• The final book I read in February is Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. Although I put my review for this (here) up in March, I finished it on the last day of February. I really did enjoy this book; it put an interesting spin on classic themes, and I'd like to read the rest of Pearce's fairytale retelling series. I would also highly recommend this one.

March Goals

My goal for March is really just to finish all the books I'm currently reading before I start anymore. I'm halfway through several and I think I need to finish them (or at least most of them) before I try to start any others. I did a post on my ongoing reads in February here and, although I've finished one of them by now, I've also added two to the list. I know, I know. I'm more than 3/4 way through three of them though, so look out for reviews of those soon.

Reading Challenges

My reading challenge sign up post is here. The goals I set myself are: Explorer Level (6-10 books) for the Nonfiction Challenge; 15 books for the Fur & Fangs Challenge; and Shamrock level (4 books) for the Ireland Challenge.
So far, I've read 1 book for the Nonfiction Challenge (here), 1 book for the Ireland Challenge (here) and 1 book for the Fur & Fangs Challenge (here). Pretty good going, I think, for 2 months into the year. 

So that's my wrap up and goals for this month. Hope you all had a good February - if you do a February Wrap Up and March Goals post too then put a comment on this post and I'll check it out. I think my next post will be a review of The Book Thief film (which I saw for my birthday), and I also have some more book reviews and another regular feature project that I'm really excited about. See you soon!
 

Book Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Hey everyone! I just finished Sisters Red and thought I'd do a review - I loved this book! I read this book for the 2014 Fur and Fangs Challenge hosted by Novel Heartbeat (also check out my challenge sign up post here). You can find the cover and Goodreads description on my Library Haul post, so I'll just jump straight in with the review. Enjoy!

What's the deal?

Sisters Red is about 2 sisters (Scarlett, the oldest, and Rosie, the youngest) who were victims of a terrible attack by a vicious Fenris (werewolf). Although Scarlett fought the Fenris off to save herself and her sister, she was left with terrible scars and an appetite for revenge. Rosie, forever indebted to Scarlett, helps her sister hunt down other Fenris to save young girls from suffering the same (or worse) fate. They also hunt with Silas (cute boy and lethal with an axe), the son of a woodsman who is estranged from his family. Although they live (reasonably happily) in a small town, the three travel to Atlanta to suss out why the Fenris packs are joining forces, and what they're looking for. This is where the action goes down (in more ways than one).

How does it work?

The book is told in first person narrative, and is split between Rosie and Scarlett's perspectives. The exception to this is the prologue and epilogue, which are both told in the third person. The main section of the book happens in a very short period of time, and because of this the action seems more urgent, the atmosphere tense. The story is quite fast paced (in that a lot happens in short bursts), but it also has enough passages about mundane everyday stuff (like shopping and taking classes) to make it more realistic, in the sense that you can imagine this type of thing happening in the city you live in. And of course, fighting werewolves isn't the only action (but if you want to know more, you'll have to read the book).

The tone of the book is quite, well, there's a lot of angst, put it that way. There's palpable tension, first between Silas and Rosie, then between Silas and Rosie AND Scarlett, and then there's less tension and more action. There's quite a few twists and turns too. I guessed a few things at the beginning of the book, then it turned out I was wrong as new info was uncovered, THEN even more happened and it turned out nothing was as you thought at all. I tell you what! I was welling up towards the end as well and then ANOTHER twist happened. You never knew what was going down with this one (in a good way though). The prologue and epilogue were good as well, with the prologue setting the scene and helping you to understand the characters motivations, and the epilogue providing what I thought was a very bittersweet ending. It was also interesting to see both sisters points of view, as it showed just how much they differed, but also how similar they were. Two halves of the same heart and all that (seriously, read it).

Completely Loved:

• Werewolves. The Fenris in this book are different to the "normal" variety found in most werewolf books. They kind of seem like a cross between werewolves and shape-shifters (evil monsters who can turn any time of day or night). Pearce's wolves are edgy and dangerous, and seem more thrilling than traditional ones. It's a new and exciting concept.
• Silas. Who doesn't love a bit of eye candy who can hold his own in a fight against supernatural creatures? I imagine him to be the mysterious, smouldering, sexy type. And the boy can wield an axe too...
• The whole plot of this book was fun and interesting, with the darker bits and uplifting bits balancing each other out. I was totally gripped from start to finish.
• I also liked the concept of the cover. I thought how all the bits melt into each other was a really cool idea.

Not so much:

• Silas and Scarlett are hunting partners. Best Friends. I loved that relationship, which makes a few pages (and one particular part of the backstory which is revealed there) about 3/4 of the way through not so good for me. I'd hoped Silas WOULDN'T be the sort of guy to jump from his crush to the "next-best-thing" type scenario.
• In the same area of the book, Rosie seems to become whiny and clingy again. She has some great character development throughout the course of the book and I get why she's upset in this particular part, but she's spent 3/4 of the book trying to prove that she's strong, confident and independent and, for me, her character was sort of undermined in those few chapters.

Quotes

"I am confident, I am capable, and I will not wait to be rescued by a woodsman or a hunter" - Rosie. I like this quote because I think it's here that I as a reader realised that Rosie is just as strong as Scarlett, and she's not just the little sister anymore.

"My sister has the heart of an artist with a hatchet and an eye patch. And I, we both now know, have a heart that is undeniably, irreparably different" - Rosie.

"I follow, always, because it's the only time when I'm certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are one person broken in two" - Rosie.

Final Thoughts

I give Sisters Red 4 out of 5. It was an enjoyable and well paced read, and kept me hooked throughout. There was a brilliant mix of action and romance that meant I was never bored waiting for something to happen. I very much enjoyed the rather unique spin on the "tried-and-tested" themes of werewolves and fairytales, and I now really want to read Pearce's other books.

Thanks for reading guys and I hope you enjoyed it! Next post will be a February wrap up/March goals type thing. See you next time!

Book Review: Long Lankin by Lindsay Barraclough

Hey there! I know this has come a little late, but I've had a bit of a hectic week and I really wanted my next post to be a review of Long Lankin. So, where shall I start? You can find the book cover and Goodreads description on my Library Haul post.

What's the deal?

Long Lankin is based on an old song and myth. Two young girls, Cora and her little sister Mimi, are forced to move into their Aunt Ida's old house in the small village of Byers Guerdon. They meet two village boys, Roger and his brother Pete, which is pretty much the only good thing that happens to the girls until probably the end of the book. Auntie Ida is not pleased to have the girls AT ALL (and that's an understatement), but as the novel progresses, strange things begin to happen, and we see that, actually, Auntie Ida may just have a point when it comes to not wanting the kids to stay. It's a hard book to summarise without giving away any of the plot, so I'm just going to say that Roger and Cora have their work cut out for them trying to keep themselves (and Mimi) alive.

How does it work?

The book is written in first person narration, and split into 3 viewpoints - Cora, Roger and Auntie Ida. It is structured sort of like a diary, as in it's chaptered by days, and is then split further into the 3 perspectives. Although this frequent change of perspective makes the narration a little choppy at times, it adds to the overall feel and fast pace of the book. It is quite slow to start (plenty of scene building), but it soon picks up in pace, and the seemingly irrelevant details given, often from Cora, such as the scratch marks on the doors, holes being dug in the garden and scrabbling noises on the roof late at night, all tie in at the end. Indeed, the book makes more and more sense the further in you go, and I often caught myself muttering "oh I see" or words to that effect in the second half.

The book is creepy pretty much from the offset, and I found it (although I am a self-confessed wimp) downright scary at times. It's the sort of book you wish you could put down just for a few minutes, just so you can catch your breath, gather your thoughts and reign in your imagination, but you actually can't bring yourself to turn away. Long Lankin is "regular book size" or maybe a bit longer (around 455 pages) but it's by no means a slog to get through - the changing perspectives and increasing levels of action gives it a short, snappy feel.

Completely Loved:

• The character interaction between Cora and Roger. I loved their friendship and I'm so glad you see the events from both points of view. I also quite liked that there was no romance at all in the book. Now, I do like a good bit of romance, and Roger seems like he would be an amazing boyfriend, but the fact that they did everything together WITHOUT falling hopelessly in love and declaring undying affection by the end was just an added bonus.
• The amount of description. This was such a detailed book, and I could see every scene unfolding in my head without having to make any conscious efforts to imagine anything (example that won't spoil anything: 'He gloats at us, drawing back his thin, wasted lips and showing us his pointed yellow teeth. He is smiling'). In some books you have to think a little harder to see the story unfold (not a bad thing at all, I have a very active imagination), but in Long Lankin, all you had to do was draw up the courage to actually read on.
• Auntie Ida's character progression. At first, I thought Ida was a horrible person. Yes, I can appreciate she had some bad things going on and she was scared for Cora and Mimi, but she really is horrible to Cora. I didn't like the fact that she yells at and hits Cora repeatedly, yet doesn't so much as scold Mimi even though both of them broke the rules. However, as I read on, I found myself sympathising with Ida, and when I started to understand what was wrong, I just wanted to weep with her. It was a brilliant example of everything tying together in the end to make someone you didn't think much of into your hero.
• It's based on a real myth. I love mythology, and I think that, for me, the fact that Barraclough based her book on an actual Northern myth and song really enhances the book.

Not so much:

•  At times, I got ever so slightly annoyed with the characters, such as when Ida scolds Cora for any little thing but doesn't yell at Mimi, even though both of them were breaking Ida's rules. I also thought, at times, that Roger and Cora talking to each other sounded more like adults than children. HOWEVER, having finished the book I now see that the things I quietly criticised when I read them were either not what I thought they were, or are actually relevant or addressed later in the book. So I'm not sure this is an actual criticism of the book, more like an observation that if, like me, you get annoyed in parts, stick it out because it all comes together.

Quotes

I didn't find this a particularly quotable book (and by that I mean life affirming type quotes that I will regularly spout at people), however I loved Roger and some of his lines really amused me. I'll put just a couple, and please leave any quotes that you guys particularly enjoyed in the comments below.

'Pete and me are pretty sure she's a witch, like old Gussie Jetherell, just down from us - though she definitely is. She's got lots of cats and that's a sign' ~ Roger

'Your mother's always going on about her and Uncle Ben being told the church was spooky when they were kids. That sort of thing doesn't scare me though. I fought Hitler' ~ Roger's dad, and I think it may have been the way I imagined him saying this that made it such a good line for me.

Final thoughts

I haven't read a lot of horror or "dark" books but Long Lankin really has given me a great introduction to the genre. Word of warning though: Unless your one of those "I'm not scared of anything" types, read this one in the midday light, not at bedtime! Rating wise, I'll give Long Lankin 4.5 out of 5, and I can safely say it's one of the best books I've read in a while. 

Side-note

The sequel to Long Lankin - The Mark of Cain - is due out this year. The Random House website says that the publication date is 3rd July 2014. For me, July CANNOT come soon enough! I gather the sequel is more about Aphra Rushes (read Long Lankin if you want to know who she is!) not Long Lankin, and I am really interested in seeing more of her. Also, I can't wait to meet Cora again (and hopefully Roger!).

Hope you enjoyed this. If you've read Long Lankin, or if it's on your to-read list, leave a comment below!

Disclaimer: I borrowed the book Long Lankin from the library. I haven't been paid or bribed in any way to read or recommend it.

Reading Challenges 2014

Hey guys! I've decided to kick-start my blog by participating in some reading challenges this year. I looked through A Novel Challenge's blog and decided on three challenges I will try this year. They looked really interesting; one of them, the Fangs and Fur challenge, was right up my street as I love Supernatural books anyhow and the other two pushed me out of my comfort zone a little. This is my sign up post for all three, so keep reading for more info!



The first challenge that caught my eye is the Nonfiction challenge. I've never read much nonfiction, but I guess that's going to change this year!

This challenge is hosted on http://www.theintrovertedreader.com/ I believe, and I'm so excited for my first challenge! I'm signing up for the Explorer level (6-10 books), because I'm joining a few other challenges too and I have to study for important exams this summer too, so I think 6-10 is a nice amount especially as reading nonfiction is not my forte and I've never really gotten into it before. Who knows? I might even do more!




The next challenge I'm going to participate in this year in the Fur and Fangs challenge. I love reading Supernatural themed books anyway, so this challenge is kind of perfect for me. The challenge is simply to read books about werewolves, shape-shifting animals or vampires, so I think I can read quite a few this year.

This challenge is hosted on http://novelheartbeat.com/ I believe, and I'm going to set my goal to 15 books for this challenge.




The final challenge I'm going to try this year is the Ireland Reading Challenge, which I think sounds really interesting. I haven't read a lot of Irish authors or Ireland-based books, but I'm always up for new things and it seems like a really cool one to try.

This challenge is hosted on http://booksnyc.blogspot.co.uk/ I believe, and I'm signing up at the Shamrock level (4 books), although if I have the time, I hope I can read more than that.

I'll do an update post for each individual challenge probably every month, and also reviews of the books I read for each challenge. I'm really excited to get stuck into some good books, and I'm also looking forward to pushing myself a little with the nonfiction genre. I might have to go hunting around the library for some Ireland-based books though! Until next time...