Okay, let's be honest here. The thing which first attracted me to this novel was the cover. It's so unbelievably gorgeous – it has the sky and doodled on stars. I loved it, so I picked it up, and I read the blurb. And I knew it wasn't the type of book I generally like. It sounded sad, and soppy, and I prefer books which make me feel happy and also make me think. But, hey, I thought. Why not give it a go? If all else fails, at least it will look good on my bookshelf.
And OH MY GOSH. It's absolutely brilliant! It's sad, yes, and soppy, but it's got a touching dry humour and it really made me view the world around me in a different way. The main character is called Pearl. And the baby sister she has been longing for has turned out to be an ugly premature creature who Pearl bitterly calls 'the Rat'. And the Rat is the cause of her mother's death. Pearl begins to hate the world around her. She is resentful, angry and aching.
This book really got to me. I felt so touched. And you know, I felt incredibly sad for Pearl, even though I'd never met her. She felt so real to me. But you might think this book will leave you feeling upset and scared, and I hate that kind of book. But it leaves you with a kind of warm glow because by the end, things get better. And that really left an impact on me.
I closed the book and just sat there for a while, thinking. And I felt so lucky to be me. Reading about someone else's troubles really makes yours seem insignificant. I am so so lucky, and this book made me realise it. This book makes you cherish your life a bit more, I think. And it is such a powerful, powerful read. Read it, and you will understand why.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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