When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman, Hachette, $29.99.
I was a bit nervous about a book featuring a talking rabbit, especially when young Elly, the narrator, names her pet “God”. Whimsical charm can curdle awfully easily.
Yet Winman is one clever (debut) author. In two parts over 40 years — from the revolutions of 1968 to the collapse of the Twin Towers — she writes of love in all its forms: gay, straight, parental, predatory, platonic and random, but first and foremost the love between Elly and her brother, Joe.
Disaster and tragedy rain down upon their highly unconventional family, testing bonds to breaking point, but a lifetime of shared secrets and some deep soul connection between the siblings ensure it never snaps.
The novel’s sense of heart and high weirdo count reminded me a bit of John Irving’s The World According To Garp (swapping rabbits for bears), though its strong connection with real-life events make it a true original.
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