In previous years I’ve merged December’s paperback and hardback offerings but the three paperbacks I have my eye on this year merit a post of their own, kicking off with Jessie Burton’s The Muse, cunningly published at the end of the month to capture the Christmas book token trade. Set in seventeenth century Amsterdam, The Miniaturist was hugely successful a few years back. Burton’s second novel begins in 1967 with Odelle Bastien, who left her Trinidadian home five years before, about to find her niche working in a London art gallery. One day a lost masterpiece with a story behind it is delivered, purported to be by the legendary Isaac Robles. Burton’s novel untangles the painting’s history taking her readers to Spain in 1936. Lots of very complimentary reviews when it was published in hardback.
I’m not sure Rachel Cantor’s Good on Paper got much coverage at all when it was first published here in the UK. A frustrated young woman with a few published short stories under her belt, is stuck in the temping world. Her life seems about to be transformed when a Nobel Prize winning author offers her the opportunity to translate his book. Unfortunately, as instalments of the manuscript roll in, it becomes clear that the book is untranslatable. ‘A deft, funny, and big-hearted novel about second chances, Good on Paper is a grand novel of family, friendship, and possibility.’ say the publishers which sounds like rather a nice way to round off the reading year.
My last choice, Andrea Canobbio’s Three Light-Years, is the only one I’ve reviewed. Still living in
the same apartment building as his mother, his ex-wife and her new family, forty-three-year-old Viberti longs for a child. He meets Cecilia whose son is suffering from an eating disorder and manages to get the boy to eat by distracting him with a conversation about James Bond. Before long Viberti and Cecilia are having lunch together. Subtle, often funny, sometimes infuriating this is not a novel for those wanting a conventional love story – there are times when you want to give Viberti and Cecilia a good shaking – but I enjoyed it very much. Nicely ambivalent ending, too, much like life.
That’s it for December. A click on the title of the first two will take you to a fuller synopsis while the third link is to my review. If you want to catch up with December hardbacks, here they are
You’ve reminded me I wanted to read Good on Paper and, lucky me, I already have book tokens to spend!
Lucky you, indeed! Melville seem to publish some interesting stuff. Worth keeping an eye on.
I think so. The Argonauts is one of my favourites from this year and I think they also published Alexandra Kleeman’s You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine which Zadie Smith is raving about at the moment.
Daunts see to like them – I saw several of their titles on show when I visited last week.
I like the sound of Good on Paper – will have to look for it! Alas, no book tokens at all…
Sorry, Marina. Here’s hoping some magically appear at Christmas.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed. I hope you’re dropping hints…
I remember your review of Three Light-Years, Susan. It sounded like the type of novel I would enjoy. Good to see it getting another boost via the paperback release.
And with that same jacket that you commented on, Jacqui. Fits the book so well.
Good on Paper looks interesting. I’ll keep an eye out for that one.
It does, doesn’t it. A wee bit under the radar her in the UK.