A totally compulsive read, exploring the complex character of Kitty, the first person narrator of this story.   Curiously, Kitty lives in a flat next door to her husband James.   She was brought up by her artist father in a rambling house, with her four older brothers.   Kitty strives to discover the truth about her dead mother and also her estranged sister, from her brothers' recollections.  This novel considers the nature of motherhood from the perspective of tragic experience.  Kitty's feelings are often associated with colours as suggested by the title, touching upon a condition called synaesthesia.  The plot follows unexpected paths through the desperate actions of a depressed young woman.  This is a highly entertaining first novel, which is not gloomy, despite the sad subject matter.

This novel would provide excellent scope for character analysis, in terms of how convincingly the author creates character, and how this reveals the key themes of the novel.

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, 2003