Rachel Reviews: Of Lions and Unicorns by Michael Morpurgo

I do like Michael Morpurgo or what I've read of him. His books are what I would call good stories: they're accessible to all; they deal very much with people, mainly children but not always, and what they find important; they have a rural feel, a love of the country which is almost romantic in parts that appeals to me; the link between man and animal features a lot and I like the connection that he makes between us and the things with which we share this earth.

And so to this collection. I have to admit that I was expecting a book of short stories and that this was an assumption that I maintained throughout the early part of the book, as the focus was on his works of shorter fiction, each tale neatly concluded and wrapped up. However, it soon transpired that excerpts from other novels would make up a lot of this book and it moved from reading something in its entirety to more of a literary taster session. There's nothing wrong with this and I did rather like it but it does, I have to admit, make for a more disjointed read.

That being said, I really enjoyed the book. Morpurgo's writing is like my mum's homebaking: it is made well but is unfussy; there is a simplicity to it which heralds its honesty as something which has been created by someone who enjoys what they're doing; when consumed, it makes you feel good and generally, leaves you with a warm, contented feeling inside.

There were some stories of note: My Father is a Polar Bear whose title is misleading - a heart warming tale of personal reconciliation and family; Muck and Magic, which is about an unlikely friendship between different age groups linked by common loves; and This Morning I met a Whale which is about a boy who meets a whale but is really a way of illustrating how all living creatures are connected and that we all, especially us humans, have a duty to each other to protect and preserve what we have, before it's too late.

Morpurgo is a good storyteller. His way of writing is so easy to sink into, like a comfortable armchair and once you're in the story, it feels well-conceived, believable and I'll repeat that word again, warm.

I'm not sure that this collection is a good place to start if you've not read him before. I would recommend Private Peaceful or Warhorse but if you do develop a taste for his fiction, then this should definitely be a book you should acquire.

Rachel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars