Genre: Contemporary/Humour
Age Group: Adults
Publisher: Quercus
Release Date: 12th July 2012
Format: Hardback
Pages: 295
Source: Publisher
Buy It: $13 with free delivery
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆☆
A narrator in retreat from suburban life, a shambolic draughty farmhouse in a scenic valley...A widowed survivalist called Cassandra White...A banker, a village-full of empty second homes, and scores of poor and elderly people with nowhere to go...A crazy utopian scheme to reclaim the valley for the locals. A dark, timely satire from Joanna Kavenna, the prize-winning author of Inglorious and The Birth of Love... - Book Depository
I didn't know what to expect from this book. I went in to it completely open minded and not knowing much; I'm glad because after reading the synopsis I realise it doesn't do much for this book.
The first 100 pages or so was very enjoyable, I was laughing out loud now and again at Cassandra's crazy-ness and at the narrator. After that, it went a little downhill. It was all very crazy and dramatic and I didn't really know what was happening. I think the whole thing about the empty houses and the 'perverts' was a little weird. Then again, I don't usually read this sort of book but I did enjoy it somewhat and I think people who usually read this sort of genre will enjoy it more.
The writing style is good. It's very easy to follow and there's nothing different about it. I like how the author chose to keep the narrator's identity under wraps. It doesn't distract from the story and if I'm honest, I didn't notice it until half way through.
The ending. I'm not really sure if I liked it or not. It was very sudden and abrupt. But I think that was what was supposed to happen. Everything was so dramatic and fast paced and then it all stopped with a big sudden ending which was good.
If you're a fan of contemporary humorous books, this is for you. It's definitely different but worth a read!
