Michelle Muscat   i2i Publishing; 200 pages; £8.95 Published in December 2017

''Every single one of us has a story to tell.'' This story revolves around two girls of the same age with initially apparently very little in common characterwise, called Madeleine and Madison Moretti. One is an intelligent and hardworking medical doctor interested in clinical chemistry, the other
seemingly a Japanese pop culture expert, and a manga, anime and gaming enthusiast with deep roots in the land of the rising sun where the cherry blossoms fall. The story is rich with interspersed cultural and comedic elements. Flipping seamlessly from Madeleine's medical drama to Madison's
everyday life and her figurine and keychain collections, unexpected revelations are made. Moving from daily routines to illusions beyond the looking glass that transcend the mortal realm, to the vermillion gates of Inari, and the Coomassie's brilliant blue waters, even deeper secrets surface at the end. The girls touch upon the artefact called romantic love with its many shapes and guises, ranging from Tietz's fiancee, the unique allure of virtual characters, and a fateful chance meeting. Philosophical musing on what constitutes true `happiness' after a potentially fatal incident, and the strong thematic element of duality, blend in to make the story more intuitive and accessible. It incorporates suspense, and final realisations as to who Madison and Madeleine really were, or who they could have been, with depiction of chemical pathology through the eyes of a girl and references drawn from famous Japanese pop culture elements by a girl who's story could no longer be told.

Source: www.amazon.com

'The author's research was partially funded through the Endeavour Scholarship Scheme'

Short accounts of interesting cases, some medical disasters, involving pathology and clinical practice, from the recollection of Prof. Albert Cilia-Vincenti.