I first read about this book after Exmi had reviewed it and I thought it sounded pretty good. I then promptly forgot all about it (I find if I don’t write book names down, then they go completely out my head) until I saw it in the window of one of my favourite second hand book shops. I dashed in and bought it for a mere 90 raands, was most impressed and then left it on my bookshelf as I had other things to read at the time.
Come Christmas holidays, I had run out books to read, the library was closed so I scoured my bookshelves for something to read. (I still have a good 7 or so books which need to be read from my bookshelves but I did manage to make a dent in them over the holiday season…) And out came 30 Second World.
And I really enjoyed it! Emma van der Vliet is a South African author(as you know, I am a fan of good SA authors) and her previous novel Past Imperfect was published in 2007, I never reviewed the book but I read it at the beginning of 2012 and also enjoyed that novel.
She has a lovely writing style whereby the characters become like friends and you find yourself wondering what is going to happen to them when a) you have to put the book down to go to sleep b) you have finished the book but still the characters stay with you.
It is an easy read, and I love how she contrasts the different worlds. The one of TV ad production and real life. Alison is a working mother and I think that Emma manages to get right down to the nitty gritty of this character showing how often we make the wrong choices because we think they are the right ones and only once Life has pushed you to the absolute limit do we make the changes that were staring us in the eyeball all along! I love the blossoming friendship between Alison and Beth, I love the creativity of the novel, I love the characters. I love that I know where (most aka the swinger club, for those of you who have read it, I would not have a clue) most of the places are and can relate to the book. That is one of my most favourite things about reading South African authors where their books are based in Cape Town:-D
Read it, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
Have you read anything good lately?
(I have just started ‘A Discovery of Witches’ by Deborah Harkness which I am already devouring it as if I haven’t read anything in ages….)
I have just finished Me before you by Jojo Moyes. Loved it.
I loved that as well! Sobbed at the end though.
Part of my goals for this year is to read more. It’s really something I let slip when I worked but since we’ve moved I have read more books in the last 5 months than the last 5 years, and have remembered how much I enjoy it.
🙂
I have no idea what I would do if I couldn’t read. When I was growing up, one of my fears was dieing before I had finished a book, because I would’t get to know the ending!
Sorry, but I had to have a little laugh with your comment about dying before finishing a book! You are a true reader! 🙂