At a time when everything seems, to be quite frank, pretty rubbish, I thought I’d start off my book recommendations with a book that cannot fail to make you smile and feel like all is good with the world. Enter: The Murderer’s Ape, one of the most original books I have read in a long time, and its protagonist, the brilliant Sally Jones, gorilla and talented ship’s engineer with the kindest heart of any individual.
Although Sally Jones cannot speak to humans, she understands everything, more profoundly than most people. When her beloved Chief is falsely accused of Murder, this book sees Sally Jones embark on an extraordinary quest from the rooftops of Lisbon’s Alfama district, via Egypt, to a Maharaja’s palace in India and back. Do not be put off by the fact that The Murderer’s Ape is marketed as a children’s book, as its Swedish author Jakob Wegelius has skilfully accomplished the rare feat of spinning a story that will delight both children and adults alike. So grab a cup of hot choc, or a glass of wine, and prepare to hunker down on the sofa (pyjamas encouraged) and disappear into a mystical world of fado, ships, accordions, airplanes and most importantly, the unfaltering belief that in the end good will always prevail.
You can buy this book here.
Read more Call of the World book reviews here.
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