![]() ![]() Kanae, for example, is a childhood friend of the protagonist. We become familiar with these people, in or out of order. “It seemed Uncle Red Shoes had not always lived in our neighbourhood”.Īs the book progresses, the neighbourhood slowly comes to life, as though the lights in its houses come on one-by-one as the locals’ stories are told. It merely happens.įrom this off-key note, the book flows like a janky, trippy, and darkly funny musical featuring such characters as Uncle Red Shoes and Grandpa Shadows. She doesn’t question it, nor does she welcome him. To make this clear, the book opens on one of its least obliquely surreal stories: that of a cheeky and strange boy - reminiscent of Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream - who doesn’t age at all, and who chooses to make a home with the nameless protagonist for the rest of her days. ![]() People From My Neighbourhood is very much defined by its surreal and supernatural elements. There is an established cast of characters - some with real names, some with nicknames, and some with no names at all - and a first-person narrator who spends her time telling us about her neighbours and their peculiar ways. Across roughly 120 pages, we are offered 36 short and amusing stories of around 2-5 pages apiece, each one ranging from slightly strange to excitedly deranged. The titular neighbourhood of this book is nestled in an uncanny valley where anything can happen. ![]()
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