THE RULES OF SEEING

(HarperCollins £12.99, 416 pp) JiLLiAn SAfinovA (‘nova’), an interpreter for the Met Police, has been blind from birth. After undergoing an operation to give her sight, she wakes to a world that makes little sense to her and one she must learn to negotiate.

in steps Kate, an architect, who is staying in the same hospital after falling and hitting her head.

As Kate’s marriage disintegrates — her relationship with her policeman husband, Tony, becomes tainted with doubt and suspicion — their friendship develops into something deeper.

The novel is built around a thoughtprovoking concept that allows the author to punctuate the novel with nova’s ‘rules of seeing’.

her journey back to sight is fascinating and superbly portrayed. however, the relationship between the two women is less than convincing and the character of Kate’s husband veers dangerously close to cliche as the melodramatic ending approaches.