Set sometime in the 1950s, Benjamin Wood’s Seascraper takes place over a single day. Thomas Flett gets up well before dawn to accommodate the tides, heading home to the shack he shares with his mother once the day’s catch has been sold. He finds her with an American man who has the oddest proposition for him. Wood’s descriptions of the bleak landscape and the difficulties Thomas endures are vividly cinematic. The arrival of Edgar with his tales of Hollywood and glamour are met with scepticism by Thomas, overcome by the hope of a friendship and a future. Things may not quite turn out the way he expected but there’s hope for Thomas at the end of this atmospheric, dreamlike novella. Review to follow…
Aisling Rawle’s The Compound sees nine young, beautiful women looking for an escape from poverty, unrest and environmental catastrophe, waiting for ten men who will arrive on foot, or at least whichever of them has survived the arduous journey, every second broadcast to avid reality TV fans throughout the world. ‘Lord of the Flies meets love island in this explosive, addictive debut novel, as bingeable as the best reality TV, with dark undercurrents of literary dystopia and consumerist satire’ says the blurb which might make you wonder why I’ve included it but Laura’s review swung it for me. You can read it here. 
In Agnes Lidbeck’s Supporting Act, Anna takes on a new societal role when she becomes a mother, her world centred around her child. Her affair with an older man after her marriage breaks up, sees her transition from the role of his lover to his caregiver. ‘Supporting Act is the study of a woman performing the roles society asks of her, even as they overlap, contradict and subsume each other’ according to the blurb. Peirene rarely publish anything cheery – Marzhan Mon Amour was an exception – but their books are reliably good.
Staying in Japan, Fumio Yamamoto’s The Dilemmas of Working Women follows five women, each with everyday lives and attendant problems: Izumi is unemployed; Haruka is a cancer survivor; Mita can’t decide whether to leave or marry her boyfriend; Sumie needs somewhere to live and Kito is trying to cope with the hassles of working in a convenience store. ‘In this classic Japanese bestseller, published in English twenty-five years after it took Japan by storm, the lives of five ordinary women are depicted with irresistible humour and searing emotional insight.’ says the blurb promisingly.
That’s it for July’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…
Discover more from A Life in Books
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
These all sound tempting – yes, even The Compound, since I followed your advice and read Laura’s review. But the one I may seek out first is the Benjamin Wood. I do like an atmospheric story.
I’d dismissed The Compound before reading Laura’s review. I think you’ll enjoy Seascraper – beautiful writing.
The Compound remains the only book I’ve ever read to handle contemporary reality TV well! I like the sound of the Starritt – as with many things, I have no interest in the business world in real life but enjoy reading about it in fiction.
Reality TV’s such a great subject for fiction, I’m surprised more writers don’t explore it. Hope you enjoy the Starritt if you decide to try it.
I very much like the sound of the first two, plus the Mount Asama one.
Tempting, isn’t it, and I can certainly vouch for the first two.
I’ve got The Dilemmas of Working Women on my Kindle but hadn’t realised it was written 25 years ago. It may be slightly out of date by now although, judging from what I’ve heard, there’s still a lot of misogyny in the workplace in Japan.
I’d be interested to see what you think of it if you do get around to reading it.
Several of these sound promising, particularly Drayton & Mackenzie and Supporting role.
Highly recommend Drayton and Mackenzie. I’m pleased to see it singled out. I’m sure the Peirene will be up to their usual standard.
All sound interesting. The Lives of Working Women in particular. I am reading Manguso’s Liars at the moment. Its a vivid depiction of a marriage taking a serious nosedive
Glad you think so Lucy. Liars was one of my books of last year. Bleak but brilliant!
I am finding it a bit intense. Will let you know what I think when finished!
The Safekeep has won the Women’s Prize and Andrew Miller’s The Land in Winter the Walter Scott prize today. Two of my favourite books from last year
It always a pleasure when that happens, isn’t it. I’ve yet to read The Safekeep but, like you, I loved the Miller.
Really enjoyed these picks! Seascraper stood out to me—there’s something so eerie and beautiful about that setting. Definitely adding it to my July list. Thanks for the great recs!
You’re welcome! You picked well. I already have Seascraper lined up as one of my books of the year,
Ooh I like the sound of The Compound. I have Seascraper from NetGalley
Seascraper would be great for #NovNov
I’ve got The Dilemmas of Working Women in my NetGalley TBR!
Excellent! I’ll look out for your review.
The first one doesn’t sound like my sort of read at all so I’m really intrigued to hear how much you enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to your review.
Ha! You’ll find out soon…
Drayton and Mackenzie sounds quite appealing – I’ll look out for your review!
It’s a step outside the usual contemporary fiction territory.
I feel like Supporting Act might have some Edna O’Brien vibes, but different era? That could be interesting.
Peirene have an excellent editorial eye so I’m expecting good things!
You’ve sold me on the two Japanese authors. I’ve not heard of either. I was going to ask if this is Yamamoto’s debut but then noticed you said it was issued in English 25 years ago. Seems a long time before a new edition?
I think it’s the first English translation.
OK, that makes more sense