Slug by Hollie McNish

FRIDAY FAVOURITE~ SLUG

Sometimes you read a book that makes you grateful for being a reader, that you wish to distribute copies of to every single person on Earth because it would stop global warming, poverty, racism, sexism, and all manner of issues. Sometimes you read a book that sparks such innate joy you want to put a billboard up in every city begging people to read it. 

Sometimes you read a book that is so fantastic you immediately google the author @holliepoetry to find out everything you can about them, order every single book they’ve ever written immediately, follow them on all platforms, and contemplate how you would help their political campaign if they ever wanted to try and take over the world. 

This is slug, a hybrid book that is a collection of essays, short stories and poetry. Sounds disparate? It should be. It isn’t. This ebbs and flows between topics such as growing up, racism, social expectations, sexuality, gender, family and grief beautifully and with such wit and humour. In truth it captures the soul of humanity and it’s one of the best things I have ever read (let alone in my top reads of 2021).

I cannot adequately convey my feelings for slug. It is irreverent and taboo breaking, it is astonishingly honest, it will make you think about things you have never thought about before. I LOVED the structure – the essays interspersed with poetry give you an insight into the impetus and research for the poetry, making you appreciate it a thousand times more. Even if you are not a fan of non fiction or poetry do me one favour and check out the #goodreads reviews from many like you who are obsessed with this.

Reading this is as if you have a brilliant friend next to you who is witty, compassionate, who rages against inequality through a mastery of language. You are deep within the mind of @holliepoetry who is someone I would like to hug, laugh with, bare my soul to and drunk text randomly. 

I cannot thank @littlebrownbookgroup_ukenough for sending over a limited edition proof, I will treasure and reread it.

~ Chaya {Ad:PR copy}