When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

This is one of those books that is very hard to describe. Part coming of age, it is the story of Elly and the special relationships that are the core of her existence, in particular the one she has with her big brother, Joe.

Elly’s father is a lawyer doing legal aid as penance for a case he won as a young barrister which led to the suicide of a young woman. In spite of this he holds out hope of winning the Football Pools and becoming a millionaire. Which, oddly enough, he does. Elly’s mother is so beautiful her famous actress sister-in-law, Nancy, is in love with her.

Brother Joe develops a close bond with Charlie, his best friend at school and is devastated when Charlie moves away. Meanwhile, Elly is the kid at school that no one likes, not even the teacher, until Jenny Penny moves into her street.

Spanning several decades - the story takes you up to and beyond the events of September 11 - When God Was a Rabbit is about what it means to be different and how important it is to maintain those threads with the ones we love. And a lot besides. As I said, it is a difficult novel to describe, full of eccentric characters, who all seem perfectly logical when you get to know them.

I particularly enjoyed the voice of Elly as a child, which reminded me a little of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. She’s sparky and fun, telling it like it is. All the characters are appealing in their own way, but there is plenty of drama to keep you hooked and the odd secret or two. This is a charming and quirky novel, which if Goodreads is anything to go by, you will either love or hate.

Posted by JAM

Catalogue link: When God Was a Rabbit