by Ryl Harrison

Bite Your Tongue is wonderful in every way, an incredible story of course, but it really is just so beautifully written; it is pure joy to read (for me the reading experience was something like Roy's God of Small Things, but I can't really say why). One of my favourite bits was when Glory was describing the sensation of feeling the wrinkles in the blue plastic of bottom of the above-ground swimming pool with her toes (I think when they were going around and around making whirlpools).  I was right there, I know that feeling - what a tiny detail, but so powerfully evoked.

Lots about this book resonates with my life, experiences of childhood through fundamentalist religion, Queensland, pineapples and blue swimming pools.

My secret to making this book last longer is to re-read all your favourite sentences, and frequently I did, I would find myself at the end of a sentence and going back to read it again for the pure joy.

This book also made me cry: big snotty, snivelling tears.