Book of the Week - Sarah Winman, When God was a Rabbit

This week I have chosen a first novel which has attracted quite a lot of attention, and which has already been reprinted in hardcover. When God was a Rabbit is a book about a brother and sister, told in the first person by the sister over a period of about 30 years from 1968 to the events of 9/11. The author, Sarah Winman, was born in 1964 and grew up in Essex. She attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and went on to act in theatre, film and television. She currently lives in London. Signed and dated copies are currently available at cover price (£12.99) if you look around. The novel has been highlighted by Waterstones as one of its 11 first novels to watch this year, and certainly looks promising.

"This is a book about a brother and a sister. Spanning four decades, from 1968 onwards, it is the story of a fabulous but flawed family and the slew of ordinary and extraordinary incidents that shape their everyday lives. It is a story about childhood and growing up, loss of innocence, eccentricity, familial ties and friendships, love and life. Stripped down to its bare bones, more than anything, it’s a book about love in all its forms."