Never Let Me Go.

I love me a good book recommendation, so when my darling sis waxed lyrical about Kazuo Ishiguro's 'Never Let Me Go', I decided to invest my sweet time in it. She warned me in advance two things - firstly that it was a slow-burner, and that it would make me cry like a little girl. And oh my days, was she right....

The book tells the tale about three youngsters - Kathy, Ruth and Tommy - who have a seemingly idyllic life attending an English boarding school named Hailsham. However, it soon becomes clear that these are no ordinary kids - they are, in fact, clones bred purely to donate their vital organs in later life. Hailsham students don't study or learn social graces, as they will never grow to need them, instead they are kept at peak health in order to maximise their use once they begin to 'donate'. Once a student has donated four of their vital organs, they 'complete'... and I'm sure you can imagine what this is a euphemism for. Despite having thoughts, feelings and ambitions, they are constantly reminded of their fate and they unquestioningly accept it.... until they inevitably find themselves in a rather complicated love triangle. 

The book is written in a deliberately flat and simplistic tone, and the first part reads like an almost Enid Blyton-esque account of school life. The way the narrator, Kathy, so passively accepts her horrific fate somehow makes it all the more devastating. For the last forty or so pages, I had a steady supply of tears trickling down my cheeks, and I am pretty heartless - the only books thus far that have managed to get any crying out of me are Harry Potter books! So you can imagine my astonishment when, upon finishing the book, I found that my cheeks, hair and pillow were soaked. If it managed to prise some emotion out of me, that's got to say something about the quality of this wonderful story. 

So if you are feeling particularly brave, indulgent or in the mood to contemplate your own mortality, I highly recommend you give this book a whirl. Just make sure you are not in public when you near the end.

Books Galore!

I have a little rule that if I ever spy a classic book in a charity shop, I must snap it up immediately, even if I have no intention of reading it for a good ten years or so. So, as you can imagine, my bookshelves are groaning with well-thumbed copies of Penguin classics, but sometimes you need a little light relief - books that make you chuckle, or consist of nothing but pretty pictures. Here are a few books I wouldn't mind waking up and finding magically placed on my bookshelf. Father Christmas, you listening? 

'Dear Diary' by Lesley Arfin

Having kept a diary since I was on the cusp of my teenage years, I sometimes like to have a little read of the truly old ones, just for lols. Well this young lady enjoyed reading hers so much that she decided to publish them! And believe me, they are rather excruciating. I first became aware of Arfin after obsessively reading her 'Ask Barf' column on Street Carnage; I strongly advise you take a peek, as they are sometimes valid yet always amusing.

p.s. It also features a foreword by Chloe Sevigny, nice!

'Moomins Cookbook' by Sami Mamila & Tove Jansson

Moomins are adorable and Finnish cuisine looks delicious, so a perfect recipe (oho!) for a cookbook it does make. Thanks to this gem I could learn how to make all the delicious treats prepared by Moomin Mamma in real life. With categories such as 'At The Garden Party' and recipes such as 'Laundry-Day Soup', how could anyone resist? Get in my life, please. 

'What Shall I Wear Today?' by Fifi Lapin

Sure, it's written by a fictional bunny-rabbit, but just you wait until you look inside... Despite having 'long ears, a flat chest and a generously padded tushe', this lady (sorry, bunny) can dress! This sweet little book stems from the blog of the same name, and features interviews with wonderful visionaries such as Charles Anastase, Erin Fetherston and Viktor & Rolfe! Sweeeet.

'Luella's Guide To English Style' by Luella Bartley

It looks like a 1950's school book, it's the perfect shade of 70's brown and there's a bloody fox on the cover! Oh, and it's written by Luella Bartley, one of the loveliest designers of the decade. Can't wait to wrap my sticky little mitts around this one.