Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April, 2019

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood

“Age 45, she thinks her life is perfect, as long as she avoids her feckless brother, Edward – a safe distance away in Birmingham. She has a London flat which is ideal for one; a job that suits her passion for logic; and a personal arrangement providing cultural and other, more intimate, benefits. Yet suddenly faced with the loss of her mother and, implausibly, with the possibility of becoming a mother herself, Susan’s greatest fear is being realised: she is losing control. And things can only get worse … at least in Susan’s eyes” Just over a year ago the group made  Eleanor Oliphant ‘ their book of the year. So there was always going to be comparisons reading about a single lady living slightly outside of society norms.  Would it be as good? The book didn't get off to a good start with the group not taking to the very obvious metaphor - the Cactus = Susan. One of the group thought the book was the product of a creative writing course as it seemed to tick many boxes (the ti