There’s an embarrassment of paperback riches in March, several of which were among my books of 2018. This first batch begins in the ‘30s with Melissa Harrison’s All Among the Barley about a young woman who turns up in the village of Elmbourne and inveigles herself into the affections of a vulnerable fourteen-year-old girl. Naïve yet intelligent, Edie’s flattered by Constance’s attentions but not savvy enough to examine her motives. Harrison sets her novel against a febrile background: suspicion of change, economic hardship and fear of the other leave Elmbourne prey to the shadowy forces of fascism gathering throughout Europe. As with all of Harrison’s novels, there’s a plethora of gorgeous descriptive passages to enjoy.
Kate Atkinson’s Transcription follows Juliet Armstrong who finds herself caught up in the machinations of MI5, far beyond the mundane transcriptions she’s recruited to produce in 1940. Atkinson is a masterful storyteller, whipping the carpet from beneath her readers’ feet several times during Juliet’s journey through the Secret Service’s labyrinthine corridors. As ever, there’s a good deal of dry, playful wit to enjoy but some serious points are made about idealism and national interest. Engrossing storytelling, engaging characters, sharp observation and sly humour – all those sky-high expectations that greet the announcement of any new Atkinson novel were met for me. And there’s another Atkinson in the offing this year: Big Sky, a Jackson Brodie novel. Hurrah!
Amy Bloom’s White Houses is also set in the ‘40s. Spanning a weekend in April 1945, shortly after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, it tells the story of his wife Eleanor and Lorena Hickok, the woman who joined them in the White House and with whom Eleanor had a long and passionate affair. Bloom narrates this elegantly spare novella through Hick’s dry, earthy sometimes humorous voice, painting a picture of ‘30s and early ’40s America through the lens of her experience. It’s an extraordinarily intimate portrait, both of the two women and of Roosevelt’s 
presidency. I’ve yet to read anything by Bloom I’ve not loved. Her writing is both deft and empathetic, pressing all my literary buttons. Such a cool jacket for the paperback edition, too.
Set just over a year before the attack on Pearl Harbour pulled the United States into World War Two, Louise Levene’s Happy Little Bluebirds keeps us in the ‘40s. Multilingual Evelyn is pulled out of Postal Censorship and sent to Hollywood to assist a British agent who needs a translator but when she gets there HP – Saucy to his friends – has bunked off. Like all the best satire, serious points are made: the constant hum of casual racism, the contrast between the largesse of Hollywood life and the austerity of wartime Britain are all slipped into the narrative. That said, Levene’s novel is a thoroughly enjoyable romp and the ending is all you’d expect from Hollywood.
Set in the early ’90s, Elaine Castillo’s America is Not the Heart is about a Filipino community in California, and I’m ashamed to say that before I read it I knew next to nothing about the Philippines’ troubled history. Castillo explores that history through the story of Hero who comes to live with her uncle and aunt after being released from a prison camp, finding a second home with Rosalyn who knows nothing but the city of Milpitas where she lives. Castillo’s novel wasn’t without flaws for me – I could have done with a glossary – but it’s both entertaining and enlightening.
I’m ending this first batch of paperbacks with Sam Byers’ Perfidious Albion, set in the near future, which I’ve yet to read but which will no doubt depress me. Set in a small English town, post-Brexit, it depicts a country in the grips of fear and loathing thanks to a few opinions aired too stridently, political extremism on the rise and the revelation of secrets threatened. ‘Smart, satirical and honed to frightening acuity, Sam Byers’s writing offers up a black mirror to Britain post-Brexit in this frighteningly believable and knowingly off-kilter state-of-the nation novel’ say the publishers. I do love a state-of-the-nation novel but given the state of my particular nation I may just put my head in the sand although humour is promised, presumably of the dark variety.
That’s it for the first selection of March paperbacks. A click on a title will take you to my reviews for the first five and to a more detailed synopsis for the last one. If you’d like to catch up with March’s new titles, they’re here and here. Second paperback instalment soon…
I like your comment on ‘Perfidious Albion’ – which will no doubt depress me… and yet we read on. It’s the same horrified, disbelieving fascination that we have when we see an accident in slow motion.
Your car crash analogy is spot on. I’m going to have to gather my strength if I’m to read this one.
I really enjoyed Transcription but I didn’t think it was Atkinson at her sharpest. Mind you I’m looking forward to Big Sky as well. I rather like the sound of All Among The Barley and White Houses. With the dentist in mind, I must see if the library has copies. No book buying at the moment!
I’m sure you’ll be able to get your hands on the Harrison at the library if not the Bloom. Good luck with your dentist trips. I saw on your blog that you had an extensive programme of them ahead.
Well I love the sound of both All Among the Barley and Transcription, both have been on my radar for a while. However I have been very bad at reading other recent publications I have had in hardback for months, favouring as so often, more vintage works. I am sure I will get and read these two one day.
I hope you do, Ali. I think the Harrison, in particular, would be up your street
The Melissa Harrison sounds excellent, just my kind of era too. Do you think it’s a stronger novel than her previous one, At Hawthorn Time, or are they both equally good? I’ve only read her debut, Clay, which I liked a lot, so it would be interesting to go back to her at some point to see how she’s progressed.
Yes, I’d say it was stronger although very different, Jacqui. It’s a much more political novel with fascism throwing a grim shadow over Britain as well as mainland Europe. Given our current situation (and my particular politcal stance) I couldn’t help reading it as a Brexit novel. It also has the glorious descriptions of the natural world that were so pleasing in both Clay and At Hawthorn Time.
I’ve just had Life after Life strongly recommended to me, so I am just about to go and borrow it and am generally more attentive to Kate Atkinson, whom I didn’t know before. I’ll have to look out for Amy Bloom, since you recommend her so much.
You have a treat in store with Life After Life. I hope you enjoy Amy Bloom’s writing if you get around to her.
I bought White Houses on Kindle at Christmas but I’ve just swooned at that cover.
Isn’t it great? So much better than the hardback and it fits the book well.
As you say, an embarrassment of riches. I really like the new cover for White Houses – so much better!
I love it, and it fits the book perfectly.
Perfidious Albion sounds like it might be a little to close for comfort right now!
I think you may be right, Cathy. Not sure I have the stomach for it at the moment.
I don’t know Melissa Harrison but this one is speaking to me. And of course I have to read Transcription, hoping and hoping it’s more to my taste than her last two
You’ll be pleased to hear that Transcription is much more of a linear narrative than the previous two, Karen. I think you’d enjoy the Harrison
Wonderful. Now all I need is the time to read