Every now and then, if I'm lucky enough, I come across a novel that changes my life. This was one of them. It wasn't necessarily the story that set the cogs turning in my brain, it was its intent. It follows its own rules, and says exactly what the author wants it to say. It hits hard - pulls no punches. Maybe I could relate to it and maybe it caught me at just the right time in my life as I lost my mum not too long ago and recognised within the book a lot of my behaviour, and other people's expectations of what my behaviour should be as someone who was 'grieving'. I often feel as though people's expectation is that I should 'act sadder', but then if I do, or I try to talk to them about my feelings, they don't know what to do or just avoid me altogether. You can't win in this life, so for me the best route is not to conform. Not to follow or live up to expectations - just to be.