August’s first batch of paperbacks begins a step or two outside my usual reading territory with Sam Mills’s The Watermark. Trapped in reclusive, once renowned author Augustus Fate’s work-in-progress, Jaime and Rachel are desperately trying to escape. To do so they move from Victorian Oxford to utopian Manchester landing themselves in a Russian winter before wandering into a dystopian near future, reassessing their relationship along the way. ‘The Watermark is a heart-stopping exploration of the narratives we cling to in the course of a life, and the tendency of the world to unravel them. Kaleidoscopic and wildly imaginative, it asks: how can we truly be ourselves, when Fate is pulling the strings?’ says the blurb ringing loud Jasper Fforde bells although no mention of humour.
I wasn’t nearly as fond of Alan Hollinghurst’s Man Booker Prize-winning The Line of Beauty as many so have my doubts about Our Evenings which follows two men, once schoolmates from very different backgrounds, one of whom becomes a powerful politician the other an actor from whose perspective the story is told. ‘Both dark and luminous, poignant and wickedly funny, Alan Hollinghurst’s new novel gives us a portrait of modern England through the lens of one man’s acutely observed and often unnerving experience. It is a story of race and class, theatre and sexuality, love and the cruel shock of violence, from the finest writer of our age’ according to the blurb. Very much like the sound of that structure so I suspect I’ll swallow my doubts and read it.
I’m not entirely sure about Bea Setton’s Plaything, either, but I enjoyed her debut, Berlin, a few years ago. It follows Anna, a bright, popular science PhD student at Cambridge who becomes fixated on her physiotherapist. ‘When Anna and Caden’s lives become tightly entangled, her obsession with Caden’s seemingly ever-present ex-girlfriend reaches a dangerous pitch… Just how far will she go to satiate her curiosity?’ asks the blurb. Hmm…
That’s it for August’s first batch of paperbacks. 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 new fiction it’s here and here. Part two soon…
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Like you, I didn’t entirely buy into Line of Beauty, but unlike you, I didn’t buy into Berlin either. So we’ll see about those two. In fact, there’s nothing here that screams ‘Read me!’. Which I’m rather relieved about.
Happy not to have toppled your tbr this week.
Try The Watermark which is very different to Sam Mills’ previous books.
She’s new to me. This one sounds intriguing.
Noted. Thanks.
I really struggled with The Line of Beauty, too, but thoroughly enjoyed both The Stranger’s Child and The Sparsholt Affair (though can’t remember anything about them!) so will get to Our Evenings eventually. I loved Plaything but it’s a bit divisive and I’m not sure whether or not you’d click with it.
It all seemed a bit soapy to me. Easy reading which met a surprising amount of critical acclaim. I’m not sure about Plaything, either. I’ve included it on the basis of Berlin but probably won’t go out of my way to read it.
I really enjoyed The Watermark, but no, I don’t recall it being particularly funny.
Thanks for that. I’m intrigued by the blurb.
I’ve had my eye out for The Watermark in paperback ever since I read about it in hardback! It really appeals. Excellent news, thank you.
You’re welcome! I think I’ll save it for a winter read.
It does seem like it’d be great to curl up with!
Sweet Vidalia sounds promising but I’m not totally sure…
It’s those those comparisons. So often wildly off the mark!
I loved both the Line of Beauty and The Sparsholt Affair. I didn’t think Our Evenings was as good, although there is a very moving ending to the book. I do like his writing style but it can be a bit protracted. He was at the West Cork Literary Festival at the weekend. I didn’t make it, I was at the Galway Arts festival. The other books here are not jumping out at me. Plus I bought too many books on my holiday in Connemara last week. The tbr stack is getting as high as the Eiffel Tower!
I wouldn’t want you to be crushed by a toppled tbr tower! It sounds as if you had an enjoyable bookish time on holiday.
Well I bought more than I read! Touring around is not conducive to major reading bursts. A beach holiday is more accommodating. And after all the rain we have been having in Ireland in July a sunny beach holiday abroad is starting to look more appealing.
My holidays aren’t the sort where much reading gets done either. I think we have some of your rain this evening but it’s very welcome!
I Bought More Than I Read
Many of us could honestly wear that slogan on a T-shirt (or tattoo).
(The Watermark is my pick here today, but the others aren’t unteresting either.)
Probably tattoo except I’m too cowardly!
The Line of Beauty was more than enough of Hollinghurst for me
Very overrated, I think.
I loved Our Evenings, but I’ve only read The Sparsholt Affair, and have not yet read The Line of Beauty. My review if you’re interested: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2024/10/16/book-review-alan-hollinghurst-our-evenings/
Thanks for the link, Liz. I’m sure I’ll give it a try. It sounds more ambitious than The Line of Beauty.