Thursday 11 January 2018

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Three things about Elsie- Joanna Cannon-

One of those stunning books that you are thinking about long after you have read it.
Flo lives at Cherry tree court-sheltered housing for the elderly with a distinct lack of
Cherry trees.  When a new resident arrives she is sure that he is someone from her
past under a different name. The trouble is the man she knew died and there was a
mystery surrounding him. Flo and Elsie, her lifelong friend, try and delve to find out
more about the mysterious man and involve others in their escapades. Flo has also
fallen down in her flat. In “timed” chapters she thinks about things and reflects on
when the ambulance will arrive and the things around her. This is an amateur sleuth
story written around residents of the home and the poignancy of a life once lived.
There are so many beautifully written sentences-from the humorous to the reflective
“ Panini- what’s that” “They are what they call a sandwich if they want to charge you
twice as much” . The shop was heavy with the scent of dust…. it smelled as if the
past had found a hiding place, safe and sheltered where no one could be rid of it
ever again”. “ Because sometimes you need to run away. You need to believe in
something without looking for proof. You need to enjoy a thing without finding a
need to measure it’s value”.  I re-read the last few chapters so that I could reabsorb
some of the wonderful words on the pages- I really didn’t want to let them go.
A stunningly written highly enjoyable read to make you smile and make you think.
One of the nicest and best books I have read in a long time. 10* if I could….

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