Oliver Tate is not your average teenager, but in some ways he is. He does what is necessary to fit in at school, wearing his safety goggles on his head, skipping classes and takes part in the bullying of one of his classmates. He takes sex advice from Chips, the ringleader of his group, and is hyper aware of his parents shortcomings. But at the same time he has an intelligence and curiosity that isn’t shared by his peers, and an investment in his parent’s relationship that means he monitors the dimmer switch in their bedroom with far too much intensity. Continue reading “REVIEW: Submarine by Joe Dunthorne”
Spending time with Eleanor Oliphant never felt like a chore. Having a person who doesn’t like to divulge where they live, confide there inner life to you is little short of a gift, and Eleanor’s world was a delight. From the start, Eleanor was more than a character. The moment she walked into her office, past the co-workers who mocked her, she felt real. Even now, I can imagine her insisting I call her Miss Oliphant. In the two and a half days it took me to read the book, I kept updating my sister on Eleanor’s progress as if she was a friend I’d just gotten off the phone with.
Short story collections aren’t for everyone. I know that, but if you’ve ever thought about giving them a try, then Simon Rich might just surprise you. It’s hard to know what to expect when his stories swing from harrowing tales of hamster captivity to familiar ‘a guy walks into a bar’ jokes that turn into unexpected romances. Rich takes the short story and runs wild. He pokes fun at everyone and everything, including himself, and it’s hard not to laugh with him, even when he’s laughing at you. 
If you know my, you’ll know I very rarely re-read anything. I have a trusty copy of The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky that I open every now and again when I’m looking for comfort and Conversations with the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer when I need a boost, but other than that once I pick up a book I very rarely read it again. I’m not sure it its because I feel so far behind a lot of the time, I don’t always read books when they come out, or whether it’s just that once I’ve closed the cover I don’t feel the need to pick it up again, but re-reading is one of those things I very rarely do, like going to the gym and eating low-fat yogurt.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WORD MAKES 