The Cauliflower by Nicola Barker

This book probably won't fit the image of anything you expect it to be. It is speculative and experimental fiction. I'm not a stranger to the more speculative, new and experimental fiction.

In fact I enjoy out of the box reads, you just never know what you're going to get. A box of chocolates scenario.

Because this is probably way out of a lot of readers comfort zone it may be worth mentioning what I think Barker is trying to convey with her unusual narrative.

It's the fictional life-story of the Hindu guru Sri Ramakrishna and his relationship with faith. More specifically also the way others experience faith.

I think perhaps readers who are interested in the process of finding, living and experiencing a relationship with faith will enjoy the funny banter and situations.

To be completely honest it just didn't do it for me. I felt it was just too much, too many characters and scenarios. It was literally raining words. Less is sometimes more. Any semblance of sanity, reason or logic is lost within those words.

Sounds strange, right? Well, what it comes down to is that I didn't experience this story as the piece of literary genius others have experienced this read as.What I will say in regards to that is sometimes when you get an Emperor's new clothes situation - sometimes the Emperor is simply naked - the end.

Buy The Cauliflower at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.