so I better slap in the name Osama where it is least relevant so as to remind you folks at home that that is my gimmick! I just wondered as they do amazing work in helping us become functioning people who still experience great joy in life. Like others, I picked The Other Hand off the library shelf by chance as it was the nearest book to hand whilst chasing by 2 year old round the shelves!

Even the villains were multi-faceted characters who were nuanced and although not exactly sympathetic to them, I could understand some of their decisions and actions. Through the novel I’ve subsequently met survivors of the 7/7 bombings in London, who of course carry far worse psychological scars – as well as physical ones.The narrative changes, she changes, as this process unfolds, as she evolves from what others tell her she is, to who she really is… and who she wants to be. Now, having just finished Incendiary, I think I’ve no choice but to be a Chris Cleave pusher all around! Remembering that you need your characters to be multi dimensional so you add in some random not so ok behavior so you can pat yourself on the back. Stolen from her home as a child to be the toy of the Emperor she is rescued at an early age by the Whispers, revolutionary Moria who fight back against the Kingdom that tries to hold them down.

I loved the way that the story was slowly unraveled, showing the build up and allowing us as readers to piece together different plot threads to reveal the bigger picture. I like Ian McEwan’s work very much and I doubt that mine compares very favorably to it, but I’m still honored that you would talk about both books in the same essay.I’m super impressed at how you managed to get inside a woman’s head so convincingly in both novels– reminiscent of Roddy Doyle.