This second batch of September’s new fiction kicks off with one of the year’s big titles just as the first did. As Elizabeth Strout fans will know, many of her 
characters recur throughout her loosely connected series of novels, rather as they do in Kent Haruf’s Holt books. In Tell Me Everything, it’s Bob Burgess who comes to the fore, back in his hometown of Crosby, Maine, and married to Margaret for fifteen years. Lucy Barton and he became pals during lockdown and sharp-eyed Olive Kitteridge has spotted that Bob has a hankering for his new friend. This is the novel when Lucy and Olive meet, telling each other stories of ordinary, everyday people who sometimes lead extraordinary lives but often don’t. Written with a quiet brilliance, this is one of Strout’s best yet. She seems to be speeding up her output without compromising its quality, quite a feat. Review soon…
James Roseman’s debut, Placeholders, follows Aaron and Róisín, both somewhat adrift in their lives. Aaron lost his brother five years ago and has withdrawn into himself while Róisín has done the same having illegally overstayed her visa. Theirs is a complicated relationship, not least because of their very different cultural and religious backgrounds. Then Róisín discovers she’s pregnant. ‘Placeholders is a poignant story of loneliness corrected and the transformative power of love’ says the blurb which may not sound incredibly exciting but there’s something about that premise I find appealing.
Hanne Ørstavik’s beautifully expressed, powerful novella, Love, was one of my books of 2019 making me keen to read Stay with Me set in Milan where our narrator, a Norwegian writer, has fallen in love a year after the sudden death of her husband. She’s swept away by the intensity of her feelings for M until his vulnerability and rage begin to reveal themselves. ‘In Stay with Me, Hanne Ørstavik returns to her theme of love, this time exploring how it can be intertwined with insecurity, fear and violence. How do you recognize love? What if your deeply rooted need to protect yourself also means shutting love out?’ asks the blurb. I’ve yet to read Ti Amo, Ørstavik’s autofiction about the death of her partner, but I’m wondering if this novel might be a companion piece.
Navid Sinaki’s Medusa of the Roses is about gay love in homophobic Iran. When Zal is attacked after being caught with a man in public, Anjir swallows his pain at his lover’s betrayal, putting forward a radical plan for their future: Anjir will transition so that the two can life together as man and wife. When Zal disappears, Anji’s search leads him into grave danger. ‘A queer noir-infused love story of violence, vengeance and desire, Medusa of the Roses is a provocative, propulsive novel with the wild intensity of a fever dream’ according to the blurb. I’m in two minds about that but it sounds like a novel which should be read.
September’s short story collection is by the celebrated film director Pedro Almodóvar. The Last Dream comprises twelve previously unpublished short stories encompassing many of the hallmark themes of his movies, not least his adoration of his mother, the subject of the titular story. ‘A celebration of the relationship between life and art, fiction and reality from an artist unafraid to write about our most intimate moments, these stories explore desire, mortality, loneliness and the pain and glory of artistic creation, laced with playful humour and a deep love of literature and culture’ promises the blurb. Sounds unmissable to me.
That’s it for September’s new fiction. As ever, a click on a title will take you to a more detailed synopsis should you want to know more, and if you’d like to catch up with part one it’s here. Paperbacks soon…
I only know Pedro Almodóvar as a film director, so I’m keen to sample his writing. Hanne Ørstavik is someone I hadn’t come across. I see our library has Love, so on your recommendation, I’ll start there. Reading the Sinaki sounds like an ‘ought to’, rather than a ‘want to’. But I’ll keep an eye out for it, and the rest. Though I must have got off on the wrong foot with Strout, as I didn’t like whichever one it was that I tried. Maybe I need to try again.
I’m intrigued by the Almodóvar which I hope is as good as his films. As an ardent Strout fan, I’d say you do! I’m much fonder of Olive than Lucy. I hope you enjoy Love.
I, too, am interested in Strout’s new book. I like the interweaving of the characters.
There’s lovely continuity in her novels, isn’t there, and I’m always pleased to meet Olive again.
I got it out of the library this morning, together with a clutch of reservations, all newly-acquired by the library service, ahead of a holiday in Shropshire.
I love Shropshire. One of those counties not as visited as its beauty deserves but all the better for those of us in the know. Happy holiday reading!
Yes indeed. It’s peculiarly hard to get at – from here anyway. But definitely worth the effort. Shhhh!
I can’t wait to read Strout’s new book when all of these great characters come together. Stay with Me sounds like an interesting book to search out. I have been a big fan of Almodovar’s films for years, so I wonder how his vibrant filmic visions translate into a different medium, the short story. Currently really enjoying Maggie Armstrong’s new short story book. It’s definitely vivid, edgy and filmic. A new Irish writer to highly recommend.
Me, too, on the Almodóvar, and the Strout is an absolute treat. Thanks for the Maggie Armstrong tip. Always on the lookout for new Irish writing.
Armstrong’s book is called Old Romantics. A series of inter-related stories.
My favourite kind of collection! Thanks, Lucy.
I love Elizabeth Strout and am very much looking forward to reading the latest. I was less keen on Oh William! but found my feet again with Lucy By The Sea, so am delighted that you think this is her best. Hanne Ørstavik is a new name to me, but I am intrigued by your review. If Love is really good then that sounds like a place to start with her work.
Love was my first Ørstavik. Beautiful but heartwrenching. I was a bit worried about Lucy meeting Olive but completely unnecessarily.
I should look up Stay With Me–I have read Ti Amo (raw, deeply felt and harrowing) and as soon as I read your description I felt it was continuing the story so to speak. A wonderful set of picks here–some day I should start on Elizabeth Strout.
I’m so glad you included Stay With Me–I had missed it on Edelweiss but have downloaded it now! Thank you 🙂
You’re welcome! I’ll look forward to reading your review.
You most definitely should! I’m prepared for a wrenching read with Ti Amo. I thought Stay with Me sounded as if it picked up the story.
Placeholders sounds interesting.
I have it on NetGalley so I’ll let you know.
Call me superficial, but one of the things I love most about the more recent Elizabeth Strout novels are these hardback editions and I do wish they’d republish her earlier books, or Olive Kitteridge at least, in similar editions.
I don’t think that’s superficial! Her earlier books were from different publishers so I suspect there would be a problem with rights, though.
I’m a newbie to Elizabeth Strout. I did read the Lucy Barton one years ago and really enjoyed it but then never read anything else in the series. So now I’ve gone back to the start and am enjoying Olive Ketteridge immensely – gosh what a stupendous character. I’d better speed up reading the other books so I can enjoy her latest….
As for Hanne Ørstavik, oh yes this one is going on my list. Ti Amo was superb.
Delighted to hear that, Karen. Olive is by far my favourite of the two. I’ve been wondering for a while if Strout would bring them both together and how that would work out. I have Ti Amo in my pile to look forward to.
I haven’t read any of the Lucy Barton books, only the ‘Olive’ duo, which I really enjoyed. Are the ‘Lucy’ novels best read in publication order or could someone start anywhere without too much trouble?
Lucy tends to reiterate her story so you could probably start anywhere. Lucy by the Sea is my favourite but that’s late on in the series. It was such a treat to find that Olive was still alive and kicking!
I want to read them all 😀
Hurrah!
It’s interesting to think of Pedro Almodovar as a short story writer; I can kind of see it (but the idea of them also makes me think I’d be extra glad about being a slow short story reader too). Ditto to all the Strout enthusiasm already expressed here.
The Strout is such a treat, and I’m intrigued by the Almodovar.
Hooray for Olive meeting Lucy Barton. That’s gotta be wild … how her characters flow from one book to the next. I thought her novel Lucy by the Sea was very good … especially how it conveyed the pandemic feelings. I like both the Olive books and the Lucy books … and now they meet?!
I was a bit apprehensive about that meeting but Strout carries it off beautifully. My hope is that Olive will be a centenarian!