Well, yay for Waitakere City Libraries for having Little Hands Clapping on a shelf right near the checkout so that after I spent half an hour wandering the library trying to remember the author I kept seeing that I really, really wanted to read, trying to remember one of the book titles that didn’t bring up 300 hits on the library search, and finally giving up and going to checkout, I saw Little Hands Clapping and grabbed it and then ran off to find more Dan Rhodes and thereby totally annoyed Mr Monster and the 12 year old, while they waited around for me for another 10 minutes. 

Yay!

Because if I hadn’t and Waitakere Libraries hadn’t, how would I have discovered a new genre I love – “macabre whimsy”? Or perhaps we could call it “death whimsy” or maybe just “fairytale meets low rent true crime thriller mass market freak out”. Heehee. Doesn’t sound that funny or whimsical does it, but in Rhodes’ hands this is a total joy to read.

I can’t talk too much about the plot without giving it away other than there’s an old man and there’s a doctor and there’s a girl and boy who are beautiful and love each other, and there’s a young man who looks like an old Pavarotti and there’s a whole lot more characters who are memorable and quirky. And there’s like ten stories and somehow they all come together and if you are squeamish or humourless then really, don’t, don’t read this book, but if you like weird and absurd and sometimes a little bit gross? Then READ this book because you will love it.

Amen, Dan Rhodes, you genius.

Buy Little Hands Clapping from The Book Depository UK - this is an affiliate link which means if you do click and buy, BookieMonster gets a teeny amount of commission, with which to keep BookieMonster Kitteh The 2nd in the style to which she has become accustomed.