Vigilante (Paperback)

This is a novel that, without worthiness, touches on everything from the sexualisation of schoolgirls to the misogyny of comics. Harris's debut, Jubilee, was a bestseller, and her entertaining follow-up deserves to match its success A quirky, entertaining read - I loved it This story is for any woman who has ever wondered if there's more to life than ironing Meet Jenny - a bored housewife who runs a charity bookshop when not having to cope with her moody teenage daughter. Fretting over all the things she could have done with her life, she finds herself caught up in events that finally give her a chance to shine as a real-life superhero (sort of) Jenny's bravery us nothing if not inspiring. Aside from the backdrop of superheroism, the themes of boredom, relationship woes and a sense of dissatisfaction with everyday life are common to all of us Book of the Month: Bored with her life, she gives herself a kick-ass makeover and, dressed in cape and mask, pursues a secret life as a small-town vigilante - until a girl is brutally attacked and her fantasy world becomes reality This is funny entertainment wrapped around a tense thriller Vigilante is a novel in which character, voice, plot and themes come together to create a cracking read. It's a brilliant book. Highly recommended. Harris' writing is witty and beautifully poignant, Vigilante is shocking, empowering and hilarious funny throughout. Harris is a brilliant writer and Vigilante is a clever, fun, original story which millions of women will be able to relate to Her writing about the more ubiquitous trials of middle age and parenthood fuses the wryly familiar with flashes of poetry, and the plot's thriller elements convey a real sense of jeopardy. A generous, thoughtful, and often profound book about a woman who takes life into her own hands. I absolutely wept my heart out at the ending, and I am still thinking about Jenny Pepper. Kick-Ass for small-town mothers . . . fuses the wryly familiar with flashes of poetry, and the plot's thriller elements convey a real sense of jeopardy . . . worked through with charm and verve Light-hearted at times, dark at others, there has been a great buzz about this - thanks, quite possibly, to this article in The Independent, where Shelley herself dresses up as a superhero.