I’d like you to meet Tilly and Billie. They are my kittens, and they have kindly agreed to review books for me.
This is Tilly, getting stuck into some Austen.
While Billie is reading Boswell’s Life of Johnson.
Now you *may* think they look a bit similar (YOU ARE WRONG), so I will help you out with a few pointers:
Billie has round face, a big bum and looks worried.
Tilly has a pointy face and is insane. (That’s her at the back.)
They are sisters and have a close, if slightly odd, relationship. This weekend I found them both in their basket with Tilly quite forcefully licking Billie’s bum. Billie looked a bit confused, but I think she was too polite to say anything. Billie mostly follows Tilly around (even to the point of falling down the stairs the other day) and if Billie ever gets any attention of her own Tilly puts a stop to it by sitting on her head.
So I think you’ve got to know them now. The book they’ve chosen this week is The 10pm Question by Kate de Goldi.
The 10pm Question is the story of Frankie Parsons and his family, who some would describe as unusual, but I prefer the term funusual. There’s his dad, Uncle Gee, who embarrasses his kids by walking round in only a tshirt. There’s Gordana, Frankie’s big sister, who shouts a lot. There’s his brother Louie, who spends his life on monay making schemes and flirting with girls. And there are three large Aunts. At school Frankie has his best friend Gigs, who he talks to in a made-up Russian language. Soon he also has Sydney, the new girl with dreads who is dragged round various countries to fit in with her mum’s love life. But Frankie worries. He worries about the rash on his chest. About there being enough money to pay for the electricity. And he worries about his mum never leaving the house. Every night at 10pm Frankie goes to her room and asks her questions.
Billie: I thought this was a heartwarming, moving and very funny book about growing up and about the different ways people approach life.
Tilly: I EAT BOOKS
Billie: I really liked the characters – they were eccentric, but very real. I also liked the friendship between Frankie and Sydney. …
Tilly: I LIKED THE CHARACTER WHO DIDN’T WEAR PANTS
Billie: Uncle Gee? I agree. It was really good how the family behaved in a way that might have seemed weird to people outside, but they were happy. Also the way Frankie worried about what people thought of his mum not going outside, but in the end he has to accept her as she is.
I would have thought your favourite character would have been Gordana. She reminded me of you a bit – the way that sometimes you are nice and lick my head, and then you hit me.
Tilly: HISSSSSS
Thank you kittens for those insightful words. You've been brilliant guest-posters, even if you did wander off at times to do more interesting things like chasing your own feet and running into a wall.
Book info:
The 10pm Question by Kate de Goldi
Published by Templar Books
ISBN: 978-1848774667
Aww, they're absolutely adorable! <3
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