Review: Spilt Milk

Publisher: Atlantic Books

Price: Hardback £ 12.99

As an old man lies in a hospital bad, he tells stories of his life and his love in a beautifully tragic way! That is the premise of Spilt Milk.

The whole thing is in first person so you feel very very sad from the beginning! It wouldn't work in any other person, of that I am sure. I was wondering if this is a translation as the author is Brazilian. If indeed it is, it is an excellent one! However I really hope that nothing has been lost due to it being a translation as so often happens....that makes me sad!

I worried for Eulalio the whole way through, I worried about him having someone to love him, I worried if people actually were listening at all or if he was just coherent in his head. I worried that no one really gave a crap about him. But, I also selfishly worried that I would be like him one day. I was truly terrified and deeply scared!

Eulalio's whole life seems tragic and misguided. However, some stories he tells seem very blunt and he seems very detached from them. The tone and sentiment conveyed between stories such as these and those full of passion were written so well that I just couldn't believe it! The ramblings had some of the Catch 22 about them and I began to feel a little bit loopy myself but, again, I take that as a sign of excellent writing! 

Overall, this is a heart wrenching and beautiful book that is not one to be missed. It is eloquent and sublime and should be on any avid readers list. Also, the word Pusillanimous is used and that is not used enough in my opinion!

Happy Reading

Book Geek

:0)

P.S. When I realised why it is called Spilt Milk, my stomach did a flip....urrrrgh!!!