When God Was a Rabbit

By: Sarah Winman

Narrated by: Sarah Winman

Young Elly's world is shaped by those who inhabit it: her loving but maddeningly distractible parents; a best friend who smells of chips and knows exotic words like 'slag'; an ageing fop who tapdances his way into her home, a Shirley Bassey impersonator who trails close behind; lastly, of course, a rabbit called God. In a childhood peppered with moments both ordinary and extraordinary, Elly's one constant is her brother Joe.

Twenty years on, Elly and Joe are fully grown and as close as they ever were. Until, that is, one bright morning and a single earth-shattering event that threatens to destroy their bond for ever.

Spanning four decades and moving between suburban Essex, the wild coast of Cornwall and the streets of New York, this is a story about childhood, eccentricity, the darker side of love and sex, the pull and power of family ties, loss and life. More than anything, it's a story about love in all its forms.

©2011 Sarah Winman (P)2011 Headline Publishing Group Ltd

Critic reviews

"Author/narrator Winman pulls listeners in with her beautiful prose and vivid descriptions.... Thoughtful, unexpectedly funny, and ultimately compelling." (AudioFile)

'Thronging with incident and wonder.' (The Guardian)

'Beguiling... You can't get the voice out of your head.' (Daily Mail)

Even better

I enjoyed the history of Still Life and enjoyed the more contemporary history of When god was a rabbit.

Beautiful story with a heartbeat

I love all of Sarah Winman’s books. She writes with such beautiful, thoughtful and poetic prose. This is a story of friendship and family. Highly recommend

The characters in this book were so beautifully portrayed, I felt that I knew them all.

The story was was so rich, the characters so lovable and complex, the written word beautiful.

Luscious writing.

I fell in love with this book on so many levels. The reader pulled me in from the start. The story was so layered and complex and mostly I am in awe of the author’s beautiful descriptions that made me see and feel every detail.

Family

I loved this book! I can’t wait to listen to it again. I bought two more books by the same author.

Another “Winman” Hit

I absolutely love Sarah Winman’s work both as a writer and as a narrator,

Her ability to write characters always leaves me open and vulnerable to learning their story. Ms. Winman writes about difficult topics with a truth, a gentle beauty, and an uncomplicated reality that allows you to hear what is happening but not dwell on upon it. In turn, your journey with the characters can move along too.

The themes she weaves throughout her books also allow many ‘ahh’ moments when you realise why a previous thought or sentence was hung on to. Lots of key moments, lots of resolution.

Another great book and Audible listen! Well done.

On the wings of words

I can't do justice to the extraordinary way that Winman uses words to weave magic which entrance and capture her readers. Suffice to say, her writing is extraordinary, immersing you in a swirling flight of imagination, transporting you on an emotional journey that is gentle. painful, sweet, complex, simple and always exquisitely beautiful. The end always comes too soon.

I still love this novel.

I read this novel when I was in my early twenties.

Now I'm in my early forties.

I still love this novel so much. It made me laugh and cry. it reads so much like life. I recommend it to everyone.