How to be Human by Paula Cocozza

A few months ago, Mary broke up with her fiancee Mark. It ended quite badly, huge arguments, crockery thrown. The arguments were over starting a family - Mark wanted to, Mary did not. Since the break-up, Mary has bought Mark out of the house they shared, but something else has also happened. She has slowly been having a breakdown. She is having problems at work, her mother rings her weekly to check on her, the house is becoming a bit rundown. And to cap it all, the neighbourhood is having a problem with foxes. But Mary realises that having a fox in your garden is no bad thing. In fact, once you get to know them, they can become a best friend, a soulmate even....

I loved this book. The storyline is so original, the descriptions of Mary's slow spiral into depression and mental breakdown are believable, the setting of the story during a hot summer in the outskirts of London increases the feeling of being stifled by external forces. The irony of her impatience with her neighbour who seems to be suffering from post-natal depression, not realising that she herself is going through a breakdown. She feels she is the normal one and everyone else just doesn't understand. The only one that does understand is the fox that visits everyday.

This is an impressive debut. I look forward to more from Paula Cocozza.