Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

"Penelope's parents were dull and dispassionate automatons crawling toward their deaths"

Where do I begin with this prize winning novel? It is something new and interesting and will definitely keep you engaged. When Bernadine Evaristo tied with Margaret Atwood for the Booker Prize, I had to seek out a copy of both books and I am immensely glad that I did. While both are stylistically poles apart, they share interesting takes on female narration and highlight the richness that the literary canon can deliver with a mix of voices from both sexes.

Centuries ago, authors had to change their names to something that sounded masculine to be taken seriously and until recently, particularly in relation to 'serious literature' many female authors met with depressingly similar conditions. Is this changing? I hope so and if this novel is anything to go by, we are all in for a treat.

The scope is expansive, the prose is unusual, almost poetic in form. This is a rather unique work. Its like a time machine where you move in and out of different lives at a cracking pace and yet still experience intense emotions at each fleeting story.

Ok so its really obvious I like this one and yet I kept on delaying finishing it. I had to savour each snippet and as I read, it was like a massive cast of characters would rush on stage, deliver their deepest secrets and then rush off, passing the baton in a kind of frenetic fictional relay.

I know I've not told you anything about the story and I feel that's best to be honest. Then you too can dive in and immerse yourself in what promises to be a fantastic read for you.

5 out of 5 women, we're all the same, but we're all different.