Friday 16 October 2015

Boy, Snow, Bird



Boy, Snow, Bird
Boy, Snow, Bird

by Helen Oyeyemi

A modern-day fairy tale, Boy, Snow, Bird takes place in small town Massachusetts, 1953.  Fleeing an abusive father, Boy Novak arrives in Flax Hill and adopts it as her home.  She meets and marries Arturo Whitman and becomes a mother to his beautiful daughter, Snow.

Snow’s goodness and beauty is legendary, and she’s often treated like a delicate doll.  At first Boy is absolutely taken with her, but when her own daughter, Bird, is born, Boy becomes, shockingly, the wicked stepmother.  To Boy's surprise, Bird is dark-skinned.  Her birth reveals deep secrets about the Whitman family.  Boy loves her daughter and cannot stand the contrast between Bird and the perfect Snow.  She sends Snow away, and Bird grows up knowing little about her sister.

Helen Oyeyemi’s novel touches on dark family secrets.  It features chilling scenes with Boy’s father (the rat catcher), and later portrays a family that shuns its own racial heritage. The final chapters reveal the strangest secret of all as Boy’s family ties are finally explored.  The end will leave readers feeling breathless… and wanting more.

Thursday 1 October 2015

Me before you

Me Before You
by Jojo Moyes

I had heard the name Jojo Moyes buzzing around the book blogs in the past year or so, but I hadn't read anything by her until now. Me before you is fantastic. Dealing with some very serious issues that make you think long after you've finished reading the book.

Heart-wrenching, funny, thought provoking - an overall great read. Jojo Moyes is now on my favourite authors list, and I can't wait to read the sequel, After you.