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The Rabbit Back Literature Society

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The Rabbit Back Literature Society

By: Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen
Narrated by: Kate Rawson
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About this listen

A highly contagious book virus, a literary society and a Snow Queen-like disappearing author...

She came to realise that under one reality there's always another. And another one under that.

Only very special people are chosen by children's author Laura White to join 'The Society', an elite group of writers in the small town of Rabbit Back. Now a 10th member has been selected: Ella, literature teacher and possessor of beautifully curving lips.

But soon Ella discovers that the Society is not what it seems. What is its mysterious ritual, 'The Game'? What explains the strange disappearance that occurs at Laura's winter party, in a whirlwind of snow? Why are the words inside books starting to rearrange themselves? Was there once another 10th member, before her? Slowly, disturbing secrets that had been buried come to light....

In this chilling, darkly funny novel, the uncanny brushes up against the everyday in the most beguiling and unexpected of ways.

Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen, born in 1966, is one of Finland's best-kept secrets. A novelist and short-story writer, he is well known for his fantasy and sci-fi narratives and has twice won the Kuvastaja Fantasy Prize given by Finland's Tolkien Society and four times won the Atorax Award for Fantasy. He teaches Finnish language and literature and is the father of three sons.

©2013 Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen (P)2014 Audible Studios Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Horror Literary Fiction Magical Realism Science Fiction Women's Fiction Scary Magic Funny

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Critic reviews

"The Rabbit Back Literature Society Mixes the small-town surrealism of Twin Peaks with the clandestine-society theme of Donna Tartt's The Secret History’ The List Unnerving, enigmatic... Hints of Let the Right One In and Haruki Murakami's elliptical early science fiction novels flavour a creepy tale about mutating books, buried secrets and ghostly encounters" James Lovegrove, (Financial Times)
"Wonderfully knotty... a very grown-up fantasy masquerading as quirky fable. Unexpected, thrilling and absurd" (Sunday Telegraph)
"Charming, chilling and gripping from its very first page" (Bizarre)
"Sly wit... characterises The Rabbit Back Literature Society" (Metro)
"Charming and intriguing, switching from playful to creepy to heartfelt and back again... good fun" (The Bookbag)
"The Rabbit Back Literature Society is a lobster pot of a book... an exquisite balance of suspense, precision-engineered structure and darkly playful humour... fascinating. And fun." 5-star review, (SFX)
"A novel about big questions ... wonderful characters... amazing" (TQR Stories)
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I was not sure I would enjoy this and put it off for a while. I was delighted to be wrong. The Rabbit Back Literature Society is an exclusive group of writers, becomming a member is almost impossible. Ella Milano is the first new member in more than 20 years. But in a world of ice, snow and infectious books anything can happen and it does. The book charmed me, the brilliant and unexpected finale was the best.

Quirky, enticing and unexpected.

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Overall I enjoyed this story, it's well written and has some interesting concepts and characters but it felt unresolved and although all the charcters were moved forward in their stories it dd not feel like the any of the bigger questions posed were answered. Despite this, the book's strengths are enough to recommend it. Kate Rawson also did a good job with the material and has a sweet voice.

Enjoyable

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Would you try another book written by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen or narrated by Kate Rawson?

No on both counts.

What was most disappointing about Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen’s story?

For a book about the magic in stories, and how they spill over into real life, the magic described in the book is strangely mundane. Dogs howl, books re-write themselves and something wicked lurks in the dark. That's about it. I think the character of Laura White is based on a Tove Jansson type author - but by comparison Jansson's work really was magical.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator needs to learn more than one accent. Every other character sounds like they come from Devon.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom.

Any additional comments?

There are some very funny, matter-of-fact lines, but too few and far between.

Abandoned halfway through

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