So this was book number two for our Book Club - and I wasn't holding out much hope since the recommendation came from someone who left our workplace a few years back and I regarded as someone I had nothing in common with whatsoever. Nevertheless as I set off to Felixstowe on the train one Sunday afternoon to meet up with a friend for drinks, I popped this into my bag and thought I'd give it a whirl. Within a few minutes I had decided that I loved the book, and 15 minutes later I was disappointed to arrive at my destination!
When Good Was A Rabbit is a very quirky unsual book, and is told from the perspective of Eleanor as she moves from childhood to adulthoood. Eleanor is a bit of a strange character but comes from a loving and protective home, and is extremely close to her brother Joe throughout the book. Despite this the book only focuses on the key moments of her life - many of these being quite shocking or sensational. This was one of the talking points at Book Club, with some of the other members annoyed by what they viewed as a sensationalised life story. However I like the way all the dull inbetween fluff was left out.
It is a very busy novel, with many big themes, such as love, family, identity and bereavement. At times it is funny (the street party and nativity play) and at times it is bleak (sexual abuse and the 9/11 aftermath). It is these times when I felt the book showed weaknesses as they were dealt with in an odd manner.
At book club this book caused much debate, from whether we thought the story was believable and whether we liked the characters, to whether we would recommend this to others, and I guess if a book causes this much discussion it surely must be a good thing.
In answer to those three questions, I voted yes for all three. A cracking little book!
4/5
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