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When God Was a Rabbit

3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 · rating details · 11,112 ratings · 1,495 reviews

This is a book about a brother and a sister. It's a book about secrets and starting over, friendship and family, triumph and tragedy, and everything in between. More than anything, it's a book about love in all its forms.

In a remarkably honest and confident voice, Sarah Winman has written the story of a memorable young heroine, Elly, and her loss of innocence- a magical po...more

Paperback, 341 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Headline Review (first published March 1st 2011)

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Dec 18, 2011 indri rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: drama

#2011-45

Rasanya memang nggak biasa kalau kamu punya kelinci yang dikasih nama ‘god’. Atau ‘tuhan’. Atau mungkin kita saja yang nggak terbiasa untuk mengerti sekeluarga yang tidak percaya Tuhan. Mungkin kita bisa bilang aneh. Mungkin juga tidak. Keluarga dengan ayah dan ibu atheis, anak lelaki gay, tante lesbi, anak perempuan dengan rahasianya, sahabat perempuan yang masuk penjara, dan hadiah undian yang amat besar.

Dari awal ceritanya memang agak aneh dan penuh teka-teki. Banyak rahasia-rahasia y...more

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Mar 26, 2012 soul rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Сара Уинман разказва много увлекателно, без да изпада в многословие, с изключително образен и точен език, кратки изречения и чудесни словесни попадения. Интимните сцени и тези с насилие са само загатнати, но въпреки това оставят тягостно усещане. Разсъжденията през очите на децата са по-малко наивни и повече - затрогващи, мили и мъдри.

Въпреки чудатостите в нея, това е една много топла, човешка и истинска книга, забавна и весела, тъжна и жестока. Книга, в която няма нито една излишна дума, която...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Galina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Тази книга ме измори емоционално, но ме измори без да ме отегчава, което е много важно. Приех историята повече от присърце и няма как да е по различен начин, защото през поне половината страници, това беше и моята история. В друго време. На друго място. Заобиколена от други хора, но моята история.
Чела съм по-хубави книги. Романи, които са ме карали щастливо да се усмихвам при мисълта, че някой пише точно толкова иронично, колкото на мен ми се ще да чета. Разгръщала съм глави трескаво, с почти ст...more Тази книга ме измори емоционално, но ме измори без да ме отегчава, което е много важно. Приех историята повече от присърце и няма как да е по различен начин, защото през поне половината страници, това беше и моята история. В друго време. На друго място. Заобиколена от други хора, но моята история.
Чела съм по-хубави книги. Романи, които са ме карали щастливо да се усмихвам при мисълта, че някой пише точно толкова иронично, колкото на мен ми се ще да чета. Разгръщала съм глави трескаво, с почти страхопочитание от идеи, облечени в праведните думи. Заспивала съм с
мисълта за последни страници - приключили не така, както съм очаквала. Но рядо съм чела с пълноценно, сетивно нашепване "Точно така, в моя живот се случи същото".
Истината е, че ми е невъзможно да бъда обективна по отношение на стила на авторката. Изказът й е лек, уж ненатоварващ, болезнени въпроси са повдигнати толкова първосигнално, сякаш се подценява значимостта им. Разбира се, това са измамни впечатления, зад които се крие проникновение и навлизане в детски свят, който е изпълнен с прелести и много мрачни сенки, скрити в дъното на гардероба.
Но стилистичното отстъпва пред факта, че Сара Уинман успя да ми напомни, че всеки смята своята болка за по-важна от болките на околните. И всички страдаме сами. И рядко се чувстваме в достатъчно сигурна компания, за да споделим честно онова, което крием по-дълбоко, отколкото си признаваме.
С прочитането на "Когато Господ беше заек" аз се почувствах съпричастна и разбрана едновременно. Което ми се случва рядко, изключително рядко.(less)

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Oct 03, 2011 Mia Queen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, isn-t-it-ironic, bittersweet

When God Was a Rabbit memiliki magnet tersendiri buat saya, dari judulnya yang 'nakal', cover hangat ditambah dengan latar pasangan siluet laki-laki dan perempuan. Awalnya saya pikir WGWaR adalah buku drama yang manis. Salah besar ternyata :p

When God Was a Rabbit adalah buku drama komedi satir yang kompleks. Pahit sekaligus juga manis. Terbagi menjadi 2 bagian, yang pertama memoar Elly saat ia kecil dan bagian kedua ketika Elly menginjak usia yang ke 27. Tulisan Sarah Winman langsung terasa 'meg...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Lisa (scarlet21) rated it 5 of 5 stars

An amazing book - if it doesn't win a prize I'll be VERY surprised!
Even though Elly is older than me, much of her childhood resonates with familiarity - watching the Generation Game and shouting out the prizes in excitement, the magic of polaroid cameras, chocolate teacakes and doing the pools! Elly shares not just a deep and binding bond with her brother Joe, but also a sensitivity and awareness of the world that seems to separate them from the world of their peers. They are, in everything, a...more An amazing book - if it doesn't win a prize I'll be VERY surprised!
Even though Elly is older than me, much of her childhood resonates with familiarity - watching the Generation Game and shouting out the prizes in excitement, the magic of polaroid cameras, chocolate teacakes and doing the pools! Elly shares not just a deep and binding bond with her brother Joe, but also a sensitivity and awareness of the world that seems to separate them from the world of their peers. They are, in everything, a team.
The voice of Elly is so pure and magical, extremely evocative - I read the book on the brink of tears for the most part, simply because I could see everything do clearly, I felt I was an onlooker in her life. The love of the family permeates the story, they might not be conventional in the usual way - this becomes more apparant as the story goes on - but they are a very close unit. At times both Joe and Elly try to escape but they are always drawn back to the warmth and eccentricity of the family unit.
There are some laugh out loud moments and some that make you tear up, it's a tale that rings of truth throughout, heartbreaking, poignant, hilarious, cruel, it's quite simply beautiful.

After dissecting this for my book group I have to amend what I have written! Although I did enjoy the book and found it easy to read and involve myself in, the discussion I have since had has made me think more about it. I still stand by the above but would like to add that actually the story is pretty implausible - everything that could possibly happen to this family does, the author seems to have taken every plot under the sun and crammed them into this one novel,so whilst it does make for an exciting read, when you do step back and think, it does make it a less realistic. Also the 70's reminiscence is too modern in feeling. I don't remember much of the 70's but my fellow group members do and their feeling was that the things discussed so openly in the book would not have been in the 70's as everything was much more pushed under the carpet, politely ignored - the way that domestic abuse, homosexuality, child abuse is discussed in the book is much more post 90's than 70's. Again, some story lines are started but not adequately finished or even explained and as for God being a rabbit, the premise started off well but seemed to peter into nothng. Then, with reflection, Elly is annoying! She starts by being such a great little girl and develops into a big wet who can't hold anything down and is obsessed with a childhood friend she hasn't seen in years and her equally self-obsessed brother, but why this happens is only implied and supposed rather than told as fact. I think if more had been adequately explained instead of threads been given and then left hanging it would have been much more satisfying and if we had had a couple of major themes in the book rather than 101 we might have had more loose ends tied up. Yes, with hindsight it is rather fantastical, but if you like drama and high maintenance characters who have everything happen to them and it all turns out really well, then read it, you won't be disappointed - just don't expect much in the way of reality!(less)

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Aug 13, 2011 Faye rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

I found this book when I was browsing in Kindle store. The title got me. It's a nice title. So I downloaded the sample and found it quite interesting but with a hint of "the style of writing I'm not sure I'd enjoy".
I do like the main story; it's about the love and bond between a brother and sister, a family, friendships and love in all forms. It's a beautiful concept, really. But I'm afraid I cannot say I enjoyed the book as much, let alone reread it.
To me it's like a big jigsaw puzzle and the a...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Sarah Alderson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

this book is so awesome. Loving it.

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Aug 26, 2012 Sharon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have just started this book and am absolutely loving it. It is a hilarious book, with Ellie being just too sharp and dry with her little asides. I honestly love a book that sucks me in - especially after that nonsense Fifty shades of Grey rubbish. This is one that I will lend, but will always demand to be returned.

Just finished it today. I absolutely LOVED this book. There are some conversations in there that I have marked, as I think they speak such truth. One in particular about the last par...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Chandler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: one-of-a-kind

Part One
the story of Elly as a little girl is magical, heart breaking, sweet, sad, funny, and in a few words: literary perfection

Part Two
I feel like, had this part of the novel been removed completely, this book would have been perfect. I think the most fascinating part about stories is not knowing the TRUE ending. About being left at one part of someone's life and imagining just what happened afterwards. By showing Elly as an adult, the mystery was lost and expectations were not met. The wonder...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Jules rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, english-nostalgia, fiction, modern-day-fiction

Firstly, this is a fiction book of two halves. First half I was loving the book and would have given it five stars. Second half – I loved it less so three stars. Rather than go for the average I’ll keep the overall review at three stars. Good book, unusual but messy – I will explain further.
The fictional character of Elly is a real British girl. Born in 1968, she charts her life around popular culture and world events as she becomes self-aware and of what it means to be British, female and part...more Firstly, this is a fiction book of two halves. First half I was loving the book and would have given it five stars. Second half – I loved it less so three stars. Rather than go for the average I’ll keep the overall review at three stars. Good book, unusual but messy – I will explain further.
The fictional character of Elly is a real British girl. Born in 1968, she charts her life around popular culture and world events as she becomes self-aware and of what it means to be British, female and part of a loving family. As the book progresses into second half territory, Elly’s life becomes ultimately more complex. Life as an adult loses its sheen as reality bites and she becomes aware of the fact that adults can ‘crack’ under various guises and that nothing good is everlasting.
In an un-chick-lit way, the author Winman paints characters that seem to live whimsical lives lived between fact and fable. In many ways, Winman’s Cornish landscape becomes a fantasy idyllic ‘no man’s land’ where time has no meaning. When the chaotic disasters of modern culture and modern tragedies like 9/11 are pipped against a family setting of a sleepy British backdrop then it’s no wonder that Winman’s characters become confused with the expectations of their own mental world. Quite literally – like Elly’s brother – they crack up and subsequent themes of nothingness are perpetuated in a spiralling mythical way. Hard for any reviewer to describe quite frankly. Bonkers in a nutshell.
It with this then that I personally feel that Winman has gone too far with her work. At first, I found her characters, lovely, warm quaint and feasibly British with all their little quirks of decades gone by. In hyper adulthood, Winman stretches her characterisation like it’s on elastic and the themes, storylines and people are stretched far too much, in my humble opinion, to be believed and recognisable.
It’s when a character ceases to be believable that a book loses cachet for me and I felt cheated on the fact that good characters were going to rot somewhere during the mid-second half.
I love a book that pushes the boundaries and dares to be different but this book loses its ethic for me. I like good fiction but this is crazy-mad and a bit pithy, silly and desperate by the end.
10 out of 10 for ambition but unfortunately 10 out of 10 for reader frustration. Sorry author!
(less)

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Nov 21, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3/5

I mostly enjoyed this book, but I had some major issues with it, reason why at first I thought I wasn't going to like it but it progressively grew on me as I continued reading.

The book is divided into two main parts which Elly, the protagonist and narrator, depicts in the preface as the two main periods in her life; the first one being her childhood, and the second her late twenties, early thirties. I thought the second part was considerably better; I found most of the events in the first par...more 3/5

I mostly enjoyed this book, but I had some major issues with it, reason why at first I thought I wasn't going to like it but it progressively grew on me as I continued reading.

The book is divided into two main parts which Elly, the protagonist and narrator, depicts in the preface as the two main periods in her life; the first one being her childhood, and the second her late twenties, early thirties. I thought the second part was considerably better; I found most of the events in the first part lacking of real significance, but they do make sense in the second one when the relationships between the characters have aged and evolved with them.

I'll start off with the negative points, most of which I think can be attributed to the fact that this is a debut novel:

- Winman relies way too much in the aspect of sexuality and psychology in Elly's coming of age process, which perhaps doesn't leave room for other aspects. She deals wonderfully adding issues related to sexual identity and abuse but, in a way, overdoes them. An example is the fact that both her and her best friend were abused as children and apparently so was her aunt. Keeping in mind the limited range of characters that this novel focuses on, it is an alarming percentage that somehow makes it appear as if that was a usual situation.

- I think Elly and Joe's bonding through their childhood phase, which is essential to describe their relationship in the second part of the book, is terribly under explored. I can't see Joe's love towards her sister, and from my perspective she felt much more strongly towards him than he did towards her, or at least that's what I get out of it. I think that Joe is assumed to be the most important person for Elly but I don't see the development in their relationship, as opposed to her relationship with her best friend and Arthur, for instance.

- Some characters don't seem to age or evolve. Except those who grow from children to adults between the two parts, all characters seem to act as if 20 years hadn't gone by, for instance aunt Nancy.

Now, onto the things I liked. The writing is amazing. I've seen reviews where people complain about Winman trying to hard, but I appreciate the effort. Her writing style is beautifully descriptive without being overpowering and she's definitely very good at pacing. Even if I hadn't enjoyed the plot at all I would look forward to her further work just because of it. I also really enjoyed some of the characters, especially Elly, Charlie and Joe; I thought they were memorable and believable.

So, as I said, this book wasn't perfect, but it gets better as you keep reading it. There were some unexpected plot twists, even if the ending was slightly rushed and bland. The atmospheres described are wonderful, as are the dialogues. I would say language over plot of this one; judge for yourself if that does it for you!(less)

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Oct 21, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can imagine that as a writer it is tempting to do too much in one's first novel and I think this is what's wrong with this particular debut. As many have commented, the first section is far better than the second. It is in the first section, however, that we get a taste for the unnecessary and somewhat sloppy storytelling that's to come. It annoys me greatly when an author glosses over the realities of life by making characters incredibly rich. I saw no need for the sudden, imprecise wealth th...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Bonnie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-books, contemporary-fiction

OH MY GOD WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF WHYYYYYYY??!?!?!?!?

I read these book descriptions. They sound on the far side of boring. They almost scream: "I am literature. LIT-er-a-ture. Pronounced the douchey way, dear. I only bore you because you are dumb. If you were actually an intellectual, you would bow before my literary prowess. Read the New Yorker more, darling."

Whyyyyyyy?!?!? Why do people publish these books? Why do critics RECOMMEND them?!? Why do I read them?!?!? I know the answer to the...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Mei rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: school

Essentially, this is a wannabee To Kill a Mockingbird. It has that mature narrative present, but all in all in was lacking in all aspects and didn't affect me as emotionally as TKAM did.

I feel as if I read this book as a pleasure read (though pigs would fly before I found this enjoyable) I wouldn't detest it as much as I do now.
For a school assignment I was forced to read this (well actually my friend picked this...). Every single day for the last 5 weeks I've spent 2 hours a day dissecting an...more

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Nov 02, 2011 Parita rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I gave up, wondering why I continued how much ever I read, which was like about 3/4th of the book. It felt like in the attempt to include too much just at once, Winman had lost track of the story. Half way down the book, you still dont have any clue what is happening. I picked up that book because of all the hype, but it was just a dead waste of my time!

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Apr 18, 2013 Nancy Wines rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really loved the dark underbelly of this book. It had SO many layers and so many analogies for life within it. I loved the depth of the brother sister relationship and I could identify with SO many characters in the book. I felt the tragedy and happiness as they did. I connected because I have been and lived or visited so many I those places and a natural empathy between me the reader, and their feelings about life emerged.
The descriptions of nature with its the beginnings and endings were so...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Riya Roy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are books which make you smile , books that make you cry and then there are books which bring out all possible emotions in you !! and if you aren't prepared to react in all possible ways ,aren't prepared to delve deep into yourself ,this certainly is'nt the book for you !! but if you wan't to relive all your childhood memories , all those workings-out and crossings-out to find an answer,an answer to who you are... this is the kind of experience you deserve !! An awesome read <3

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Aug 08, 2011 Sam Woodfield added it · review of another edition

I have just finished reviewing this for a major UK retailer. What a fabulous book! I havent read anything in a long time which has made me smile as much as this book, and draw on every other emotion I possess to supplement this.

This story begins in the past, looking at the early lives of the main protagonists, and it is this section of the novel which sets the tone for the remainder of the story and lures you into the lives of the characters within. It is this section of the story which really r...more

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May 11, 2013 Howard rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I agree with the other reviewers who say that the second half of this book is nowhere near as good as the first half.

The first half, with its expanding cast of eccentric characters, is gripping and endearing, even though the poor rabbit gets quite a raw deal. The second half, I felt, was rather strange, and it was difficult for me to feel much empathy with the characters whom I had liked in the first half. I don’t feel we really get to know the first-person narrator as an adult, or even whether...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Afina Fz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When God was a rabbit adalah buku tentang sebuah keluarga biasa; sepasang orang tua atheis, anak lelaki yang homoseksual, tante selebritas yang lesbian, anak perempuan yang gemar menyimpan rahasia, dan sahabat perempuan yang membunuh suaminya. Ellie, anak perempuan dengan banyak rahasia itu, memelihara seekor kelinci bernama God, yang kemudian membuat gurunya mengatainya melakukan penghujatan. Ellie berpendapat Yesus lahir karena 'kecelakaan', karenanya ia pernah dikatai Anak Sesat oleh guru di...more When God was a rabbit adalah buku tentang sebuah keluarga biasa; sepasang orang tua atheis, anak lelaki yang homoseksual, tante selebritas yang lesbian, anak perempuan yang gemar menyimpan rahasia, dan sahabat perempuan yang membunuh suaminya. Ellie, anak perempuan dengan banyak rahasia itu, memelihara seekor kelinci bernama God, yang kemudian membuat gurunya mengatainya melakukan penghujatan. Ellie berpendapat Yesus lahir karena 'kecelakaan', karenanya ia pernah dikatai Anak Sesat oleh guru di sekolah minggunya. Ia tidak habis pikir mengapa Tuhan harus ada.

Adegan yang sangat saya suka di cerita ini adalah ketika Jenny Penny dan Ellie mengirim surat. Jenny Penny mengiriminya surat dari penjara perihal ramalan tarotnya (ibunya seorang Gypsi) tentang konspirasi dan kartu Menara. Pada hari kesembilan bulan September 2001, Dua Menara hancur dan menyisakan kepedihan tentang nasib Joe. Di buku ini kemudian diceritakan bahwa Joe selamat walaupun terkena amnesia. Ketika ingatannya mulai pulih, ia justru menanyakan pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang seharusnya tetap menjadi rahasia Ellie.

Apa peran God di cerita ini? Tidak ada. Bahkan setelah God pergi (mati), Joe tetap gay. Nancy tetap selebritas (walaupun pernah berencana menikahi seorang laki-laki, yang akhirnya kandas juga). Jenny Penny tetap kacau. Menurutku cerita ini hampir sama miripnya dengan film Little Miss Sunshine. Buku ini seperti menceritakan bahwa God tidak berperan dalam hidup manusia. Pembicaraan mengenai eksistensi Tuhan sering dilakukan di cerita ini, tersirat maupun tidak. Tentang guru perempuannya yang pernah menjadi misionaris di Afrika namun kandas karena orang-orang Muslim telah tiba duluan, tentang Mr. Golan yang Yahudi yang (secara iseng) kerap menuliskan nomor (yang diharapkannya tampak seperti) nomor kamp konsentrasi, dan tentang Dad yang atheis hingga kemudian sumpah janjinya kepada Tuhan terbukti.

Mengapa God? Karena akhirnya ia mati tergilas oleh ban mobil milik tamu homestay yang dikelola oleh kedua orang tua Ellie dan Joe.
Joe membungkus tubuh god dan menggendongnya seperti bayi, lalu membawanya kepadaku saat aku menunggu di dekat gerbang. Ia masih hangat, tetapi di bagian yang mestinya kokoh, ada sesuatu yang basah, sesuatu tanpa jiwa, dan ketika memeluknya kurasakan kehangatan god menguap dari kaus itu ke kakiku kala aku menunduk dan kakiku penuh darah.......

Kritik: terjemahannya jelek sekali. (less)

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Apr 06, 2013 Bridget rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had never heard of this book until I spotted it in two different charity shops, on the same afternoon. The title caught my attention but I wasn't going to buy it, except it happened to be in a box of 'Buy four books for £1.00' in the second shop and after picking three other books, I ended up choosing this as my fourth.

Even though it was my last out of the four that I picked, it ended up being the first that I read. I checked out a few reviews online and realised it had quite a lot of good com...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Ben rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Ben by: Anna Butler

Every once in a while you read a book that passes straight into your bloodstream, and you are hardly aware of how it happened.

When God was a Rabbit describes itself as the story of a brother and sister, "about childhood and growing up, friendships and families, triumph and tragedy and everything in between...about love in all its forms". That is a perfectly fair description as far as it goes. What it doesn't say is anything of the quiet and kindly magic with which Sarah Winman defines her charac...more Every once in a while you read a book that passes straight into your bloodstream, and you are hardly aware of how it happened.

When God was a Rabbit describes itself as the story of a brother and sister, "about childhood and growing up, friendships and families, triumph and tragedy and everything in between...about love in all its forms". That is a perfectly fair description as far as it goes. What it doesn't say is anything of the quiet and kindly magic with which Sarah Winman defines her characters.

Elly, her brother Joe and her childhood friend Jenny Penny are all outsiders - not the angry and embittered kind, though, but the kind who know they are in some small way different, unique, set apart. They, their family, and the friends who become a part of that extended family may be fictional, but they have the immediacy and honesty and vibrancy of real people, and their lives have the ring of a true story. They are flawed, passionate, muddled, baggage-laden, generous, tragic, vibrant, good, above all human. They are the people we know, the people we are, the people with whom we want to surround ourselves.

Elly and her family live through the events of the 1970s, 1990s and the early years of the new millennium - a shared experience for many readers, and one that rings true even at those points where are own memories are different. Winman has the particular gift for being able to spring a momentous event on the reader, whether historical or fictional, with all the unexpected impact of real life.

And then there is the language. Winman has the eye for observation of a small child and the pen of a poet, but combines them with the technical skill and self-control to reserve her poetic imagery for the moments that really matter, big and small. The result is that we are never inured to her description, we never lose the sense of wonder or the ability to see the extraordinary nature of the ordinary.

Read this book late at night, when the house is quiet and your defences are down. Let it work its magic. Drink in its imagery and its goodness and its sadness and its hope like a drowning man inhales the ocean. Let it into your DNA; let it enlarge and enrich your emotional vocabulary. Let it tell you that you are not alone.(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Katrina Stonoff rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What I will remember from When God Was a Rabbit are the characters. All of them. They were all deeply flawed, wonderful, real people. People I came to love nearly as much as my own family. People I was sad to say goodbye to.

Having said that, I'd be hard-pressed to tell you exactly what this book was about. For the most part, it follows the first half of the life of Elly, a young British girl who came of age after the Vietnam war. The story is bookended by the meeting (and meeting again, years la...more What I will remember from When God Was a Rabbit are the characters. All of them. They were all deeply flawed, wonderful, real people. People I came to love nearly as much as my own family. People I was sad to say goodbye to.

Having said that, I'd be hard-pressed to tell you exactly what this book was about. For the most part, it follows the first half of the life of Elly, a young British girl who came of age after the Vietnam war. The story is bookended by the meeting (and meeting again, years later) of an unusual neighborhood girl, but it's as much about her relationship with her brother and the quirky, compelling family (biographical and makeshift) she grows up with.

It's a beautiful book, with lyrical language. I enjoyed every paragraph, every sentence. I especially loved the title, and the title passage, when Elly talks about her nostalgic childhood, "when candy was a penny and God was a rabbit."

However, it was far too easy to put down. At one point, I put it down and didn't pick it up for a month. When I DID pick it up, I was going to return it to the bookshelf -- but I reread the last few paragraphs I'd read to see if I even remembered it, and then I started skimming the beginning to remind myself what had happened ... and I ended up starting it all over again because, yes, the writing really is that compelling. But every night I put it down and turned off the light, as opposed to reading all night, and every day it was a question whether or not I'd pick it back up.

I think the primary issue with the book is that there was no central conflict. Lots of things happened (LOTS of things: crazy, one-in-a-million, lottery-odds types of things), but there didn't seem to be anything connecting them. Elly sort of wandered through her life, with no goals or real desires, or even passions, and things happened TO her, as opposed to her being active and making her own choices. And the list of impossibly unlikely events (think Forest Gump) eventually lost their credibility. I can do -- and love -- quirky, but when aliens arrive not only in Chapter 14, but also in chapters 6, 23, 35-47, 61, 67-69, 73 etc., my willingness to suspend disbelief is stretched completely out of shape.

Oh, I'll still read whatever this author publishes next. It really is an exquisite book. But next time, if the pace doesn't pick up, I'm not sure I'll force myself to finish.
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Jan 15, 2013 Valerie Derbyshire rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

F Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote "character is plot, plot is character". Sarah Winman in When God Was a Rabbit, however, has decided to forego both. The characters, who could have been so interesting if fully formed, are half-baked, badly drawn, sketch outlines of characters, insipid and vapid, nothing substantial in them at all. The plot just isn't there. Where, I asked myself after nearly 200 pages of reading, is this story going? The answer - I didn't know - and worse - I didn't care. It was...more F Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote "character is plot, plot is character". Sarah Winman in When God Was a Rabbit, however, has decided to forego both. The characters, who could have been so interesting if fully formed, are half-baked, badly drawn, sketch outlines of characters, insipid and vapid, nothing substantial in them at all. The plot just isn't there. Where, I asked myself after nearly 200 pages of reading, is this story going? The answer - I didn't know - and worse - I didn't care. It was just meandering along, some questions being lifted into the mind of the reader, only to be abandoned and never picked up on again. To illustrate this point - early on in the book, the main character's brother asks how she knows about Mr Golan's penis. Good question - an interesting question, hinting at some trauma or tragedy which has befallen the heroine during her formative years. Sadly, by page 198, this question STILL had not been answered. It had just been glossed over. By page 198, I decided I didn't care all that much after all. I didn't like the heroine; the characters I did like, i.e. her brother and her supposed BFF, Jenny Penny, weren't formed or featured enough to save my interest, and I did something which I hardly ever do, and gave up reading. I know this book is bad, because generally no matter how dire it is, I'll always try and finish it. Here, in this instance, I failed. It makes my blood boil that books like this one: poorly conceived and executed, written by authors who are not writers at all but just thought "they'd have a go because how hard can it be" are picked up by companies like Headline and then shoved down enough people's throats to boost sales sufficiently to force it onto the best seller list. To add insult to injury there was then a section at the back of the book (albeit a short one) where Sarah Winman pontificates about her "life as a writer"; and then - even worse - there's a section on "Reading Group Questions" as if readers need to be told what to think anyway. This reader does not need 20 words to tell you what she thinks. I can sum it up in one: "DIRE". (less)

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Jan 11, 2013 Maliny Mohan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For the complete review , visit http://colouredbydreamz.blogspot.in/2...

The title and the synopsis of the content is what made me grab this book in the first place . A story which is woven around the lives of a brother and a sister is almost unavoidable and alluring enough for someone who is a sister herself, I assume . The cover is mesmerizing to say the least , but the blurb throws off a wrong signal that the content might be childish , the title being one with the essence of fantasy oozing...more
For the complete review , visit http://colouredbydreamz.blogspot.in/2...

The title and the synopsis of the content is what made me grab this book in the first place . A story which is woven around the lives of a brother and a sister is almost unavoidable and alluring enough for someone who is a sister herself, I assume . The cover is mesmerizing to say the least , but the blurb throws off a wrong signal that the content might be childish , the title being one with the essence of fantasy oozing all over it . But yes , do remember the age old maxim to never judge a book by its cover or maybe its blurb , in this context .

The character I loved the most is that of Ellie , the dreamy girl , who irks at the idea of being tied down to one place . She loves to explore , is compassionate and caring , and is an epitome of friendship and love in all its purity . The story , though proclaims of being about the relation between a brother and sister , I would say , the story deals about the strength of Ellie’s relation with both her brother and her best friend Jenny . In every page , the author has sprinkled a bit of love and its warmth , which is heart warming to the core . The book is synonymous of a multi layered cake , baked with chunks of love , friendship , hope , trust and oneness to its atmost perfection . With every bit you relish one or the other essence , melting into the character deeper and deeper . Ellie shares an endearing bond with all the characters , be it Joe, Jenny, Arthur , Nancy , Ginger or Charlie . Perhaps, the relation between Ellie and her father would be the least explored one . Through Joe , the incidents of Ellie’s childhood is nudged to limelight towards the later parts of the story , something which soaks her mother’s heart in guilt , nonetheless opening the doors to a more meaningful relation between them .

It also deserves to be mentioned, how the intensity of the relations are governed by the one to one interactions between the characters , rather than by the prejudice and taboos existing in our society regarding homosexuality. The book teaches us that every one is entitled to one’s mode of life , which in no way should threaten to be in the way of the emotional ties they share with their close ones , nor should it be pushed to the foray of dissections and judgments by unrelated people . Scrape away that impulse to be repulsed by prejudice, accept a person as he or she is and start knowing them.

The language and sentence construction is intricate, at times tangled, which makes it not much of an easy read. But then most of the works which stand out in the scene of literature are hard to crack if you are an admirer of light reads. For the same fact , I was left bewildered most of the times at the thought process of the author , which knit together bits of details so admirably ; such a rich and classic experience it has become when transformed into print ! No. this isn’t a book where the story treads a well beaten path. Here, there are side roads, milestones, potholes and evocative strangers who join the journey for a short span of time – ultimately culminating into a well deserved resting point with a path stretching before them, yet to be travelled.

The author’s note in the end is a must read . For me , it provided the much needed clarification regarding the fairy tale mode of storytelling in the second half . According to the author, the book is about second chances, about holding onto the one perfect thing in the world; Hope. I was disturbed by how a few incidents turned out in the second half, like as in a perfect world of our dreams. But then the whole thing adds up to the message the author had intended to convey through this book. So, no sorrows. I loved it for its enriched content , remarkable style of writing and for the afterword by the author . Perhaps, this would be one book I would dive into undoubtedly , when in times of dearth of passion that writers shrink into .
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Nov 19, 2012 Salima Korri rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was enjoyable in many ways yet when you stop and think, you realise that there is absolutely no plot and it has no purpose. It's more of a book about growing up, the difficulties we face and the types of things children think about whilst seeing certain events unfolding in front of them.

I absolutely loved Eleanor Maud the little girl because she was hilarious and always had this funny way of thinking. She observed everything around her and always remembered to apply information she lea...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Anya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Secrets, smiles & sadness - Ms Winman’s debut novel When GOD Was A Rabbit has it all!

PART I

Meet little Elly: Within quirky anecdotes that adds a smirk on anyone’s face. Elly happily sketches scenes from her childhood. There are her loving parents, a Shirley Bassey impersonator and, of course, a rabbit named God. And not to forget Jenny Penny, Elly’s best friend and partner in crime, a fantastic character that smells of chips and knows exotic words like ‘slag’. In a childhood peppered with mo...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Sheila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: coming-of-age, cultural, current_issues, relationships

A quiet girl leads an ordinary life in a small town in Essex, and is quietly lured astray by a neighboring “stranger.” In this place where everyone knows everyone else, nobody sees what’s going on except Elly’s brother, who saves her and swears her to secrecy. Elly needs a confidante of course, and her best friend's either the girl with untameable hair or the pet rabbit she names, rebelliously, “god." The rabbit's name causes some trouble in Sunday school of course and provides an intriguing sen...more

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Sep 07, 2012 The Labyrinth Literary rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

La historia está divida en dos partes, por un lado tenemos la infancia de Elly, su profunda relación con su hermano Joe, su mejor y peculiar amiga Jenny Penny, la tia Nancy, que es actriz un tanto excéntrica y sus liberales, cariños pero sumamente despistados padres. Por otro lado, podremos ver a Elly adulta, que igualmente nos cuenta hechos que le resultan importantes.

No puedo decir más porque revelaría demasiado. A pesar de lo frustrante que fue el proceso de leerlo, me ha gustado, aunque la h...more

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Sep 06, 2012 B rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I found this book to be really uneven. I LOVED the first hundred pages, cared less about the second hundred pages and found my interest totally waning by the final 100 pages. The first hundred is great - it creates a sense of nostalgia for childhood and produces some scenes so unexpectedly funny that I found myself laughing out loud over and over again. Honestly - the nativity play is one of the funniest things I've ever read. Things in the second third of the book takes a more serious turn and...more

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About Sarah Winman

Sarah Winman (born 1964) is a British actress and author. In 2011 her debut novel When God Was a Rabbit became an international bestseller and won Winman several awards including New Writer of the Year in the Galaxy National Book Awards.

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Quotes from When God Was a Rabbit

“And he uncovered in us a curious need: that we each secretly wanted him to remember us the most. It was strange, both vital and flawed, until I realised that maybe the need to be remembered is stronger than the need to remember.” — 42 people liked it

“Nothing stays forgotten for long, Elly. Sometimes we simply have to remind the world that we're special and that we're still here.” — 38 people liked it

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