'Bunny' books
You know the whole Easter/bunny/rabbit/rabbit-esque creature connection with this time of year? Well, I’m taking advantage of that to talk about three books that in some way make reference to them. They are incredibly different from each other but I think all of them are fantastic and great choices of reading material for the spring.
Bunny by Mona Awad
Samantha prefers to spend time in her own head than with the rest of her creative writing class, which includes the Bunnies -a clique of cutesy girls. But she is also strangely bewitched by them and can’t resist an invitation to join them in a private writing workshop, a portal into the world of the Bunnies. However, reality and fantasy begin to blur, which could have very dark consequences.
Ok, so what you need to know about Bunny is that it is a horror and due to the way that it’s marketed (one version has a bright pink cover, the cutesy title and the quotes that describe it as funny), I think it’s important to know that going in. The brief appearances of actual rabbits here show them used as sacrifices, so tread extremely carefully if you’re at all curious. What I love about this book is that the whole thing is really a clever metaphor for the writing process. The sacrificed bunnies ultimately become writing projects (through a bizarre series of events) and maybe it says a lot about me but I think it’s genius!
Bunny has very strong Heathers vibes and it explores the loneliness and desire for belonging that is inherent in so many young women as well as the horrific power of our imaginations. It is a wild ride but it’s still my favourite of Mona Awad’s books.
When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman
Elly’s world is very much shaped by the wild schemes of her parents, her bright spark of a best friend, her eccentric neighbours and family friends with a wealth of fascinating stories and of course, her beloved older brother Joe. Decades later, Elly and Joe are still closer than ever until one momentous day threatens to tear them apart.
“Do you think a rabbit could be God?” I asked casually.
“There is absolutely no reason at all why a rabbit should not be God.”’
The rabbit here is Elly’s childhood pet, who she names God, after learning from a fantastic character named Arthur that God ‘is the source of art, of beauty, of love, and proffers the ultimate goodness to mankind’. God is a comfort and sanctuary for Elly throughout her childhood, which is plagued by confusion and darkness. However her light definitely never fades and there is so much love in this book. It’s quite literally bursting out of the pages, which makes it so beautiful.
I really love how the motif of God the rabbit is still there, long after the actual rabbit has gone. Even as an adult, God is still in Elly’s mind and the memory of him is powerful enough to close distances and time gaps in relationships.
When God Was A Rabbit deals with wanting to be remembered as well as wanting to remember. Although it might appear to be quite bleak at times, I have to say that there are some very funny scenes here too. It’s a simple story of siblings, memory, friendship and the bonds that transcend years of absence and remain resilient. For a debut, I believe that remarkable is the right word.
Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
During the 2020 lockdown, city worker Chloe retreated to her childhood countryside hometown. Neither she nor anyone else could have expected her to fill those long, empty days with the guardianship of a tiny hare leveret who she becomes desperate to save from certain death on the side of the road.
Raising Hare was everywhere last year and I have yet to read a bad review of it. I’ll start by telling you that I didn’t think I was that interested in hares before picking it up and I’ll also say that while reading it, I became as mesmerised by them as Chloe did. The book is full of such beautiful, calm descriptions of the hare and its quiet existence alongside Chloe, as she goes about her daily business. I was also very struck by the fact that the hare feels very cat-like. I love cats and have always had cats and I couldn’t believe how familiar the movements around the house and its behaviours seem.
But it’s not all about this specific hare. The book also touches on hares in folklore and superstition. She describes them as ‘familiar yet mysterious’ and feminine in their qualities with connections to a few witchcraft cases. She suggests that all of this may have to do with the fact that hares apparently have limited legal protection in England and Wales, as many other British wildlife species do. It also talks about the horrendous reality of what contemporary farming methods are doing to hare populations and their home.
So, as well as being a very moving, beautifully written memoir, Raising Hare calls for action towards a more considerate accommodating approach for living harmoniously with these stunning, gentle, almost magical creatures. It’s also about what nature can teach us about stillness and peace as well as the lasting impression this lesson can have once you’ve been taught it.
Have you read any of these books featuring bunnies, rabbits or hares? Do you want to? What have you been up to over Easter? Let me know in the comments!
Love, Alex x