shipwrecked by despair

mimi and the blue slave, catherine bateson (woolshed press, september 2010 release)

i just finished this one before i got up this morning and was a red-eyed blubbering mess as i closed the book.

mimi is a young girl, fan of all things piratical, whose father has died suddenly and she and her mother must muddle through what their lives have now become. mimi has a blue pirate slave called ableth who is always there to talk to, to be reassured by and to bounce ideas off.

i'll review this properly in september, but for now just tell you that it is wonderful and sad and beautiful and to keep your eye out.