The Mouseproof Kitchen - Q&A

I've finished reading it and quite enjoyed it. Felt that Anna was a real person with normal faults but basically a good person and a caring mom who did well to put up with such a lazy husband and such a dilapidated home. Found it hard to believe they could cope so well financially when supporting so many people with very little (or so it seemed) coming in.
All in all a good read.

What a fantastic book, I couldn't put it down, very emotional in places. A really good read, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Thank you for my book :-) about halfway through and it's not a book I would have bought, but it is compelling reading. Many emotions though....if there is a sequel, I would have to buy it!

An amazing book, could not put it down. Now retired I had the luxury of the time to read it in a day I was so enthralled by it. I did not read about the author before I started but all the way through I felt that she must have experience of some of the issues to be able to write as she does. It was only when I finished with mixed emotions as it had been such a good read that I read about her personal experience of having a severely disabled child. I am now lending the book out to my daughter/dauhter-in-law and anybody else I know that might appreciate it. It will then be added to my library, I could not part with it.

I finished this book last night and found it an interesting read. Like inishowen I found the character of Tobias extremely annoying.I couldn't understand why Anna would stay with a man that kept telling her to dump her baby. I also didn't fully understand why the couple thought buying a wreck of a house in France would be fulfilling, when he was such a self-centered man.
I enjoyed reading the interview with Saira Shah and was relieved to learn that her husband has been an absolute rock!
I would be very interested to know if Saira is writing another book at the moment.

Just started reading it

Think its great that something that is not discussed and feelings that are kept personal can be written about.

Thank you very much for my copy of Mouseproof Kitchen.

When I began reading the book and realised what it was actually about, my first thought was "Oh no" (Did I really want to depress myself reading such a tragic story?) I persevered and soon realised that this was not a miserable story at all but a book about a couple who renovated a house in France, food and laughter and had a baby born with severe difficulties. It did make me feel quite sad at times (and tearful) but it was beautifully written and really quite humorous in parts. Suprisingly I did not find myself feeling sorry for Anna or Tobias at all.

I absolutely adored the book by the way and would love to read more.

I was sure I had posted a question soon after I received the book so thank you again. I'm finding it a very difficult read. I disliked the parents intensely so far. I liked the Chanel 19. mother enormously and could see where she came from.i suppose I just dislike people who feel that they must have a baby and then expect all the help in the world for their creation. Oh let's run away and leave someone else to deal with it. In real life the French social services paid for someone to look after the baby while they had two weeks in Cambodia!I just hate that attitude. Then Freya's mother decides she still must have the perfect IVF babies. No self awareness at all that actually her genetic code may be the reason for the scrambled brains of the child. If I have any question it is why she does not think it is a misery memoir. I found it as depressing as Angela's Ashes.

Thank you for my copy of The Mouseproof Kitchen, I am halfway through the book, and can really relate to this story... my grandaughter (who celebrated her 11th birthday yesterday) was born with Williams Syndrome.. the first sign that anything was wrong with her was she was born with a cleft palate, then they found she had a heart murmer... but finding out several months later that she had Williams Syndrome.. was a real roller coaster for my daughter and husband.. .I have often thought of writing a book about my beloved grandaughter Molly Ann.... but really dont know how to go about it....have you any tips for me.

I've just finished mine. I thought it was very readable, despite the subject being so sad. Tobias really annoyed me though! He seemed so lazy and uncaring. I know the author has a disabled daughter so she has more insight that I ever could. I didn't like it when they couldn't sort out the house properly. Why did Tobias buy a wreck if he had zero skills and just allowed the rats to have their way? I felt like giving him a good shake!

Reading this wonderfully written book makes you realise how terribly difficult it must be trying to cope with a severely disabled child.
My questions are :-
1. Did you ever think of giving up your daughter ?
2. What was your reason for writing the book...for your readers....for yourself ?

Thank you for my copy of The Mouseproof Kitchen. Just finished, found it to be a beautiful, thought provoking, heartbreaking read. My heart goes out to Anna & Tobias, who deal with the catastrophic diagnosis for Freya in their own diverse ways. Really enjoyed it.

Get a Jack Russell, Cari

Don't put poison in the house as it contains a powerful attractant. Traps are a better bet because you know where they are when they die.

#terriblesmell

Thank you for the book which I found compelling. I really felt as though I was there in the ramshackle house along with the rats. A very, very good read. I enjoyed it a lot.

Started it yesterday morning. DH had to practically drag me out of bed as I really didn't want to put it down. Beautifully written, thought provoking and I can't wait to read what happens to them.

I've just finished this book which I read in 2 days as I was very into it. I hated the rats though! Surely there must have been something they could do about them? A Jack Russell for example?

I wondered what experience you had of living in la France profonde Saira?

Hello Saira yes I too had read an article about your life and your daughter - part of me wishes I hadn;t because then while I read the book (which I thought was very good by the way) I kept thinking - is this bit true then? How much of it is real?

Thank you for the book I found it a compelling read. I would like to ask the author - I know that your daughter has the same condition as the baby in the book. What made you decide to fictionalise the story rather than writing a memoir about your own experiences?

I really did enjoy the book. I was able to understand the fear and tangled emotions of both Anna and Tobias as they struggled to cope with their baby. I worked for many years with young people (not babies) who had severe learning and physical disabilities, and so many of the parents of these children and young adults spoke of their despair and frustrations when faced with the problems, both personally and with the authorities, that they faced on a daily basis and also how they sometimes fought against the final decisions to tube-feed their child. Some seemed to feel as if in allowing this, that they were no longer able to nourish their child themselves, which is surely a basic need for any parent.
I'd like to ask Saira one question (although the link that penguinpaperback was really informative). Saira, you have shown in your novel that your relationship with your mother changed as you recognised that you couldn't be parted from Freya. Did you have a similar relationship with your own mother as Ailsa was growing? I hope this isn't too personal a question to be asking.
Thank you.

Only 50 pages in so far but think I'm gonna enjoy it ( if you CAN actually use the word enjoy) with such a sad synopsis.

I'm not sure I would have dared admit it, Aka, if you hadn't already taken the plunge!

Thank goodness it's not just me MamaCaz

I read it last week but couldn't quite engage with it myself. I expected to find it thought-provoking and emotional but that just didn't happen for me. I'm not sure why.

Finished this wonderful book, very emotional in places.