A piece of my history this, bought it second hand in Lancaster, when I was still at university. This was my first 'serious' book and I felt very intelluctual buying it. Nothing to do with ladies snogging :)

Only downside is that it has sat on my shelf for 15 years now without being opened, so I've no idea what it was about, and I tried to reread it but gave up with much of a fight. So BC it is then. Either that, or ebay ;)

picked up at Leeds book meet. On the 'To Read' list!

RELEASE NOTES:

Taking to leeds book meet

Picked up at the Leeds meet. I enjoyed Oranges, so look forward to this.

Certainly different to anything I've read so far. Set mostly in 17th Century England there are two principal narrators, a young boy rescued from the Thames and growing up to be a sailor and his Rabelasian mother/finder - truly a woman of Gargantuan proportions! There are also elements of whimsy and fantasy threaded through the book in a style akin to Magical Realism - witness the 12 dancing princesses and the city where words uttered by the citizens have to be erased by men and women armed with mops and scrubbing brushes. I'd recommend this book to anyone too tired of reality who might be looking for a short (140 page) excursion into the universe next door!

RELEASE NOTES:

Released at Leeds meet-up

still not started it yet!

Struggled with this one towards the end, it lost me!

Loved it, loved the fairy tale elements and the huge dog woman. Off to read some Angela Carter now to keep the mood going

RELEASE NOTES:

In search of magic realism I will read this book..