Astonishing Splashes of Colour - Clare Morrall

Astonishing Splashes of Colour - Clare Morrall: A Whiter Shade of Pale (766 words)
by helencb - written on 17.03.05 (Very useful, 134 readings)
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Astonishing Splashes of Colour is the first novel by Clare Morrall and was shortlisted for the MAN Booker Prize 2003. The book itself is the first published book by its author, and I think it was the Astonishing Splashes of Colour that make up its cover that attracted me towards its purchase in the first place. The title itself is inspired by Peter Pan, “For the Neverland is always more or less an Island with astonishing splashes of colour here and there”. The book itself is narrated by the fictional character Kitty Wellington, and is set in a familiar part of Birmingham that is Edgbaston in the present time. Kitty herself is the youngest of six adult ...

daubed with life (786 words)
by melee679 - written on 31.03.04 (Very useful, 71 readings)
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Astonishing is a good word isn?t it. It sounds open mouthed and breathless with wonder. Which makes it quite a good one to have emblazoned along the top of your debut novel. Clare Morrall?s book is a colourful, breathtakingly simple work that infuses you to the core. Her writing style is eloquent, perfect in it?s pitch, and I?m not surprised for a second that this is (another) Booker shortlist nomination. The story itself is a fairly basic one, but don't be fooled by that, it's the very simplicity of plot which lends it so well to such character development, and layers of emotion to be revealed. Kitty Wellington is our narrator throughout, ...