Moon Tiger - Penelope Lively - 5 stars

[Susie]

I confess to not having heard of Moon Tiger before the Golden Man Booker shortlist was released, It won the Man Booker Prize in 1987, when I was ten years old! Lovely KateNZ recommended it and was lovely enough to send me a copy that was printed in 1987. I must say that I feel as though it definitely lived up to its reputation, and it has definitely stood the test of time. Claudia is an elderly woman on her death bed, and the books follows her reflections on her life. It is told in a non-linear fashion, and from alternate viewpoints; Claudia, her daughter, her brother, her ex-husband, and her sister-in-law. If follows her experiences as a war correspondent in Cairo during WW2, and later as a writer of historical fiction. It tells of her loves, her reflections on motherhood, her regrets, her secrets. I found the prose to be so beautiful that I wanted to savour every moment. All in all a wonderful book for lovers of literary fiction.

[Booknblues]

Sounds like something I would like.

[KateNZ]

So so happy you loved it!

[Susie]

Thanks Kate!

[annapi]

The author sounded familiar so I looked it up - and I had read one of her children's fantasy books, Astercote, when I was a kid. But I can't remember anything of it! This one sounds interesting, I will have to look it up!

[Susie]

I didn’t know she was a children’s author too. A woman of many talents.

[[deleted user]]

Susie, I had not heard of it before the Booker shortlist was released. Glad to hear I was not the only one.:)

[KateNZ]

I’d forgotten Astercote. It’s lovely