Review: Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett

Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I initially heard about this book from the Bookshelf podcast when Annie talked about it and was intrigued. I’m so glad that I picked this one up. This is one of those books that take you by surprise – it’s definitely a quirky and unusual read but it really has heart! And Elvis, the 10-year-old narrator, is so wonderful! I loved having the book led by her … she gave it so much charm and delightfulness. She may be one of my all-time favorite narrators. It isn’t a happy book but it also isn’t maudlin. There is sadness but there is also quite a bit of lightness and humor. The book is difficult to describe well but it’s really about a 10-year-old and how she’s managing her grief after her mother dies. Her journey is really compelling and it was interesting to read about grief from a 10-year-olds perspective. There were moments that made me think ‘hmmm, I hadn’t thought of that but can see why a 10-year-old might think that way.’ I highly recommend it. It’s very unusual and quirky but full of heart and wonder. It will be a long time before I forget Elvis … she’s quite a character!