I wouldn’t say that I am necessarily fussy when it comes to reading and I certainly would give anything I try. If you had asked me a month or so ago if I had read every type of book there is, I would have likely answered ‘yes’ (although exaggerated). That was until I came across Strungballs and realised there is a whole new level of book genres just waiting for me to explore.

Strungballs by Mike Russell may be one of the strangest books out there. It follows the story of Sydney, a ten-year-old boy who is about to have his first cube of flesh removed. The flesh will be placed with the flesh of the city’s other inhabitants in a big sphere used to protect them from the “Others”. Sydney will receive a Strungball, a red ball on white string, as a replacement for the flesh…