Part two of March’s paperback preview begins with one of my books of 2023 although I suspect I wouldn’t have read Victoria MacKenzie’s For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain had I not been sent a copy. MacKenzie’s debut reimagines the lives of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe, alternating the stories of these two very different women told through their own voices in simple but often beautiful language. I found it riveting: a celebration of the resilience and determination of women. Extraordinarily ambitious for a first novel but MacKenzie carries it off so well I included it on my Women’s Prize for Fiction wish list. Proof that stepping outside your comfort zone often reaps rewards. 
I’d enjoyed both Harmless Like You and Starling Days so much that I needed no persuasion to pick up Rowan Hisayo Buchanan’s The Sleep Watcher which follows a young woman looking back to the summer towards the end of her GCSE year when she found herself having strange nocturnal experiences, leaving her body and roaming the town, seeing how others live and understanding that her parents’ relationship wasn’t what she thought it was. I was a little wary of that out-of-body device, but it works well; Kit’s story is so immersive that it never feels strained. Writing from an adolescent’s perspective is a difficult trick to pull off but Buchanan does it with characteristic empathy and compassion, and her story compelling.
Chetna Maroo’s Booker-shortlisted debut, Western Lane, follows eleven-year-old Gopi whose grief-stricken father introduces his daughters to the sport of squash when their mother dies. When Gopi shows promise, he focuses his attention on her leaving the managing of the household to his resentful eldest daughter. Like so much in this beautifully understated novel, much is left unsaid, echoing the silence of the father of this family who by the end of the novel may have found a way to cope with their loss.
I didn’t get on with Irish writer Karl Geary’s Montpelier Parade as well as I’d expected but so many readers whose opinion I trust did that I’ll probably give Juno Loves Legs a try. The titular pair became childhood sweethearts when Juno came to Legs’ rescue, laying into the playground bullies on his behalf. They complement each other beautifully, facing the world together, but the blurb hints at trouble ahead. Still not entirely sure about this one but we’ll see.
I turned down the offer of a review copy of Claire Kilroy’s Soldier Sailor but Jacqui from JacquiWine’s Journal wrote such a passionately persuasive review that I’ve since regretted it. Kilroy’s novel explores the first few months of motherhood and the strain it puts on her protagonist’s marriage with an unflinching honesty. ‘In one of the most acclaimed novels of the year, her first in over a decade, Claire Kilroy takes us deep into the mind of her unforgettable heroine’ says the blurb but Jacqui’s review will give you much more of an idea of the novel.
I loved Katherine Heiny’s Early Morning Riser which reminded me of Anne Tyler with its astute, funny observations and affectionate characterisation. Her
short story collection, Games and Rituals, is made up of eleven stories, each one a joy to read. Heiny draws her readers into her characters’ worlds, portraying domestic situations with a witty perception and intimacy. They think vengeful thoughts, regret their past relationships, are ambivalent about familial bonds, fall in and out of love, feel guilty and long for each other. They’re likeable but often deeply flawed just as so many of us are. A very satisfying set of stories, many read with a smile on my face. If you’re a Heiny fan who’s not so keen on short fiction, don’t let that put you off. Her collection has all the qualities that make her novels so appealing.
That’s it for March. A click on a title will take you to either to my review or to a more detailed synopsis should you want to know more. If you’d like to catch up with part one, it’s here, new fiction is here and here.
Well, I’ve actually read (and enjoyed) three of these in hardback, but I’ve immediately bookmarked the Rowan Hisayo Buchanan and the Katherine Heiny. Maybe the Geary? Let’s see.
Excellent score! The Heiny is a particular treat.
This is really making me happy that a copy of For Thy Great Pains will arrive for me this month…
I so hope you love it as much as I did!
I’d forgotten about For Thy Great Pain – thank you for the reminder! I love Margery and Julian 🙂
I surprise hit for me. I loved it, as you can probably tell! I hope you do, too.
For Thy Great Pain is very much still on my wish list. I’ve also heard great things about Soldier Sailor. Excellent list as always.
Thank you. I’m so pleased For Thy Great Pain… has met with such a positive reception. Such beautiful writing!
I thought Soldier Sailor was incredibly powerful. I was very impressed. I’ve starting reading Juno Loves Legs for Reading Ireland Month and it is very good so far.
Very encouraging on both counts! Thanks, Cathy.
Thanks so much for linking to my piece on Soldier Sailor, Susan, that’s very kind of you! A couple of colleagues at the bookshop second your enthusiasm for the Katherine Heiny, so it’s good to see it moving into paperback. And I’m quite tempted by Western lane, especially given all the positive reports last year…
You’re welcome, Jacqui! The Heiny is so cheering and I’d recommend Western Lane.
The Sleep Watcher certainly intrigues me from this list, and I hope to eventually read Western Lane as well.
I’d happily recommend both of those.
I’ve seen the Heiny on the “new” shelves on several occasions, and have been sorely tempted, but I keep leaving it there because there are too many “fall books” arriving all at once now. #niceproblemtohave
Oh, I hope you find time for here! She always cheers me up when the world’s getting me down.
For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain is on the longlist for The Walter Scott Prize so I’m planning to read that one.
I was so pleased when I spotted that. Well deserved!
For Thy Great Pain and Western Lane are both on my wishlist so it’s very useful to know they’re coming soon in pb – thank you!
You’re welcome! Two treats to look forward to.