When I first started to read this book, I thought the character of Sylvia Penton was a lot like Eleanor Oliphant, albeit not as pleasant. However, as I got into the book I warmed to her and started to feel really sorry for her. The ‘relationship’ she feels that she has with the Prof is all in her head, and he, of course, is totally oblivious. And then Sylvia’s hopes are further dashed when an attractive PhD student arrives on the scene and it becomes obvious that the Prof is in a relationship with her. I loved how her character gradually changed as the story went on and that she became much less ‘prickly’ and judgemental. Her relationship with her niece is very touching and I really enjoyed the other characters within the book and Sylvia’s relationships with them all. And by the end of the book I really quite liked Sylvia and was ‘rooting’ for her to overcome her obstacles.
This was a lovely debut novel, and I look forward to reading more books by her in the future.

Sylvia is in love. She is sure that her boss Professor Lomax loves her too - after all her takes her for a special lunch on her birthday every year and he has even confirmed she is 'his rock'. It is just a matter of time... And maybe that time will be coming closer as the Professor's wife has just asked him for a divorce. So when Professor Lomax gets a new young, attractive PhD student for whom he will always make time in his diary, Sylvia is on the alert.

It took a while, but eventually I was captivated by this story. To start with Sylvia comes across as a rather ridiculous character who is not particularly pleasant to people she knows and blind to reality. However, as the story progresses another aspect of Sylvia's personality begins to shine through. She develops a close relationship with her niece, Crystal, and as this friendship grows Sylvia softens and I began to feel much more sympathy for her.

When I first heard about Needlemouse I was instantly drawn by the title and I love the parallel between prickly Sylvia and a hedgehog. But Sylvia certainly has a softer side and we discover that after painful experiences in the past it has simply become a habit for Sylvia to hide her gentle nature behind a prickly exterior. It is a delight to see Sylvia begin to uncurl and live her life again.

Jane O'Connor does so well in creating a rather appalling character in the Sylvia we first meet, that I might have been tempted to give up on the book. So I give her full credit for gradually showing us that there is more to Sylvia, but in a believable way. She handles the character very fairly. When Sylvia's plans fall apart, she must acknowledge the part she has played, but she has learned to open us and trust people once more, so she still has the possibility of a happy ending. I highly recommend this book.

There are some delightful hedgehog sketches too.

My sincere thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Loved this book. Initially I found Sylvia annoying, and rather disturbing. But by the end of the story I felt sorry for her and I liked her. How about a sequel - the next era for Sylvia. What happened in her life

Needle Mouse
by Jane O’Connor

I received this from Netgalley after I requested it amongst others.
I was drawn to it by the synopsis, and it is a book debut.

About the book
Time to come out of hibernation...
Sylvia Penton has been hibernating for years, it’s no wonder she’s a little prickly..

Sylvia lives alone, dedicating herself to her job at the local university. On weekends, she helps out at a local hedgehog sanctuary because it gives her something to talk about on Mondays- and it makes people think she’s nicer than she is.

Only Sylvia has a secret: she’s been in love with her boss, Professor Lomax, for over a decade now, and she’s sure he’s just waiting for the right time to leave his wife. Meanwhile she stores every crumb of his affection and covertly makes trouble for anyone she feels gets in his way.

But when a bright new PhD candidate catches the Professor’s eye, Sylvia’s dreams of the fairytale ending she has craved for so long, are soon in tatters, driving her to increasingly desperate measures and an uncertain future.

The characters are described really well throughout the book. I felt I could visualise them with ease. As the story developed Sylvia was becoming a bit delusional, to me. In saying that, maybe love can do that to a person.
It was therefore a little obvious, in my opinion, where the story was going.
But that didn’t take any of the enjoyment away from my reading it. It was interesting to see how it was all going to pan out!
There were other things going on, which could have concluded in several ways, throughout the book. I enjoyed seeing just how far the characters would go, in terms of protecting their own interests.
I liked and disliked certain characters and at points became really quite cross at them! I felt a lot of emotions reading this story and I’d recommend it as a good read. I look forward to reading more from Jane O’Connor

When I first began to read this book I was unsure that I was going to like it. Narrated by Sylvia it seemed that her thoughts were just streaming onto the page and a lot of it made cringeworthy reading.

Sylvia is infatuated with her boss and at first I couldn't make out whether it was reciprocated or not, as I judged the world Sylvia inhabits at the university through her rose tinted lens. I mean he does take her out for meals and buys her a lovely bracelet for her birthday which he covertly presents to her.

I began to get annoyed with Sylvia, why couldn't she see what was happening. The gatekeeper for her "Prof" she is the epitome of many a person in a similar position I have encountered. You only get what you want on her terms and only if she decides she wants you to. But the thing about Sylvia is she is also clever and this aspect of her character hooked me in. Although at first I thought she was very mean spirited, as the pages turned and her character unfolded together with her past, I was on team Sylvia all the way.

I liked the way the author managed in the end to present the inner Sylvia. I think there are lots of her out there but she's outnumbered by the "regular" characters. People like Sylvia are usually portrayed in a one dimensional way but this time we got to see the world from her point of view.

If you liked Eleanor Oliphant, or the Rosie Project then I think you will like this too. BTW "Needlemouse" is hedgehog literally translated from the Japanese - which has a twofold meaning in the book. There are also delightful hedgehog snippets for the seasons as you go through the book.

Great book. Really enjoyed the story. The main character was quite frustrating at the beginning because you wanted to say move on but the story changed and I loved the relationship she had with her sister. The ending left a lot of questions so I would love to see a follow up to see how she got on. Good read though. I will certainly be looking for ore by this author.

Really enjoyed, “Needle Mouse,” the writing really drew a strong, but gradual picture of the mentality and being of the main character. Separating her work-life persona from the face put on show to “friends” and family, the story handles depicting an array of quite negative emotions really well, from hard infatuation, sadness, loss, and tragedy to glimmers of hope, and love. Of course, there are hedgehogs... hedgehog facts... information... caring for them... a sanctuary. An all round good read and great end.

Sylvia is in love with her boss, a Professor at the university. However, he only sees her as his Personal assistant. She has the feeling that life is passing her by but like the hedgehogs at the local rescue centre where she helps out, she is a little prickly.
However, a new student takes the eye of her Professor and then Sylvia's life is turned upside down. But, is it such a bad thing. What will happen to her life now and can it really get any worse?
Really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy of this wonderful book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Needlemouse and now I've finished I am missing the updates on Sylvia's life which in my view is the highest praise for a book of this type.

The characters were so carefully delineated, the plot was so ordinary and yet so believable and was rolled out most effectively. I was initially fooled into thinking that this was just another story of unrequited love, typical 'chick lit' but with an older heroine but I was soon disabused of this view and soon became embroiled in the action.

This is a story about a middle aged woman who has a crush on her boss, an academic at the university she works at, who she calls Prof. She spends most of her time at work trying to protect him from anyone who wants some of his time. Some of the things Sylvia says and does made me cringe. There are times when you feel she lacks the ability to stop herself from making a complete fool of herself. The other threads to this story are the interaction she has with her beloved sister and family and the work she does in her spare time at a hedgehog sanctuary. I loved this book right from the start. Jane O'Connor brought the characters to life and you can't help but feel sorry for Sylvia whose life seems to have passed her by, wrapped up as she has been for many years in her obsession with Prof. By the end of the book though you realise that Sylvia's life is actually just beginning. The book has a lovely feel to it and is very uplifting. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This turned out to be a really good read. I was a bit dubious by the description at first, but ended up really enjoying it. You can't help feeling sympathy and admiring the main character's resolve - even when things go wrong because of her own actions. Definitely worth a read.

Needlemouse tells the story of Sylvia Penton through her diaries. Sylvia is very dedicated to her job at a University, rather set in her ways, single in her 50s, a volunteer at a local hedgehog sanctuary and secretly in love with her boss Professor Lomax.

When it comes down to it, Sylvia is basically a stalker! As well as working with Prof, as she calls him in her mind, she keeps a close eye on what he does out of work too by a variety of means. She is completely blinkered to any of his faults and clings onto any little thing that she thinks shows he secretly loves her too and is just waiting for the right moment to declare it. Although we only hear her side of things told through her diary, you can tell from what she writes about other people how she misunderstands and is misinterpreting things to suit her own beliefs. She is besotted by Prof and convinced they will be together, if only he would realise how much he needs her.

Sylvia is only just beginning to realise how lonely she is. As we learn what has happened to Sylvia to make her the quite closed off character we see, we begin to realise why she has metaphorically curled up into a ball to protect herself, just like the hedgehogs in the sanctuary. My heart went out to her as I realised the repercussions of her what had happened had huge impact on her relationship with her sister in particular. I could understand why she chose to react the way she did and ached for all the heartache it caused her through the years.

More than once I was thinking what are you doing Sylvia?! She makes some really bad decisions in her attempts to protect Prof as she sees it. My heart did go out to her when perhaps inevitably, her life comes crashing down around her and she realises just how little she has.

The hedgehog sanctuary is Sylvia's sanctuary too though she doesn't realise it at first. I loved the character of Jonas who was wise, kind and compassionate. He always listened to her, even though she didn't always reciprocate. He is the one who knew that for Sylvia to move on with her life, she had to make peace with herself.

"The way I see it, lass, the most important things is for you to find a way to forgive yourself."

I like a book that make me feel uplifted, that soothes the soul, and this book certainly did that. This is definitely going to be on my top read list for this year. I love Sylvia fiercely! Comparisons have been drawn to Eleanor Oliphant and Susan from The Cactus. If you enjoyed these books, I'm sure you'll love this too. I enjoyed both those books very much but, if anything, I liked this book more. Sylvia is definitely one my favourite fictional characters.

"Hedgehogs may have been misunderstood in the past, but the truth is they are precious and harmless (unless you happen to be a slug). Just because they are not easy to stroke and live a secretive sort of life, doesn't mean they are not worth loving."

For the first part of this book, I confess I wasn't too keen on it - the main character was very irritating and I didn't really think it was the kind of book I would enjoy. The redeeming feature was the section on hedgehogs at the start of each chapter.
However, as the book progressed and Sylvia found that the object of her obsession was not reciprocating, the book did improve and I quite enjoyed the later part of the book. I found that some characters developed in ways I didn't expect, and the story became good. I do understand why the author made Sylvia so * annoying at the start, but it was a risk that nearly lost me.
Adorable cover, though!

Needlemouse is so very aptly titled.

Sylvia is the lead and her life story is bittersweet, a delight too. She is a great character who makes you hate her, love her, find comfort in her and makes you mad at her too.
I never had so much from a single character, she is invisible yet you can't miss her.

This is an absolutely superb novel, about someone who is disatisfied with her life, but feels it is difficult to change.
She loves her boss, almost obsessively, and protects him against allcomers. They work at a university, and one day she is surprised by a new female student, who seems to have found a way to get under her boss' skin.
In her spare time, our heroine works at a hedgehog sanctuary, and helps the elderly man who runs the place with ll sorts of problems.
In order not to spoil the story for others, I will just say that the most surprising and satisfactory way the story is concluded gives you a lovely fuzzy feeling inside.
The characterization is excellent, and the plot well thought out, and very believable
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a quirky novel to entertain them.

We first meet Sylvia Penton on her birthday and her boss, the Prof, is taking her out to lunch. This is her favourite day of the year, not because it's her birthday but because of the special time she gets to spend with the man she loves. He's told her that he and his wife are going to divorce - Martha is apparently having an affair - and Sylvia is convinced that the Prof will then declare his love and they can be together. She hasn't fully constructed 'together' in her own mind - she envisages it as romantic, but her imagination hasn't yet progressed to the sexual part of the relationship. There's time though - she's only been the prof's PA for fifteen years.

You might be feeling rather sorry for this fifty-two year old spinster who's trying to interpret every word her boss speaks, every action, into something positive which means that they will 'be together', despite all the evidence to the contrary, but you gradually realise that Sylvia's not a very nice person as she takes pleasure in causing problems for people. And gradually her devotion to her boss turns into something far more sinister. You know that it can't end well.

She does have a family. Her sister Millie is married to Kamal and they run a deli. Sylvia's not keen on her niece, Crystal and does her best to avoid even having to speak to her. Sylvia's mother is cold and critical, if not quite hostile. There's a big secret being hidden which could blow all the relationships apart. There is one pleasure in Sylvia's life - she helps out at the local hedgehog sanctuary. That's where we get our title from: the Japanese for 'hedgehog' translates as 'needlemouse' and if you've ever tried to handle a hedgehog you'll know how apposite the name is. Does Sylvia help out at the sanctuary because she wants to, or because it makes her look like a nicer person? It took me a long time to be certain about that as Sylvia's all about appearances, even severely restricting her diet so that she never goes above a size eight.

I had to read this book: I used to help out at a hedgehog sanctuary and I've a soft spot for them. Jane O'Connor has done a superb job of bringing them - and their care - to life: she has it spot on. She has Sylvia Penton spot on too: we've all met someone like her, but what we've probably not appreciated is that there might well be a story behind how that person is and that with a little kindness they might - like a hedgehog - uncurl and reveal themselves. It's a real tribute to O'Connor's writing that I began by pitying Sylvia, then despising her and - finally - coming round to understanding and rather liking her.

This is O'Connor's debut novel and I can't wait to see what she writes next. I read Needlemouse in less than twenty-four hours, resenting every time that I had to put the book down. The plotting is faultless and the insight into Sylvia's character is brilliant. It's a book to reread too - and next time I shall take the time to savour it. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

What a fantastic read! I loved following Sylvia’s story and despite not being sure of her character at the beginning, I was really rooting for her by the end. Well written with a strong female protagonist. I think if you enjoyed “Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine” then you will enjoy this too!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Jane O’Connor for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sylvia is a middleaged woman, certain that her boss – a college professor – is as in love with her as she is with him. Socially maladjusted and prickly, there are very few of Sylvia’s actions throughout the story that aren’t designed to advance her agenda – and some of them are downright spiteful. She’s not a character to be liked exactly, but it’s very hard to resist her story. I was surprised by how engaging I found this. Like Eleanor Oliphant, it gives you a very different type of protagonist who you can’t help rooting for even as she tears her own world down. Recommended.

This was an enjoyable story of Sylvia who had unrequited love for her boss at the university where she works. She doesn't have much of a social life, apart from helping at a hedgehog sanctuary - which she only does to give herself something to say when she's asked about her weekend. It's a common enough story but I did like the writing. I found the hedgehog storyline a bit forced though - it felt like a not very effective plot device.

At first it didn’t think I was going to like this book; the main character was cold and unlikeable and I didn’t think I was going to feel any empathy for her, but I was wrong. I ended up loving Needlemouse; it was a book about loss, guilt and regret and ultimately happiness. It was really quite touching and sad, but with a feeling of hope.