Lots of new fiction to look out for in May including several by favourite authors beginning with Claire Fuller’s Hunger and Thirst which follows a group of young people who come together in the ‘80s. Sixteen-year-old Ursula’s social worker finds her a job in the post room of an art college where she meets Sue who becomes her first real friend. She’s a little spooked by Sue’s grizzly stories, becoming increasingly unsettled after her friend engineers a séance and unwilling to take part in her film based on a couple whose corpses were found in the bungalow Ursula’s squatting. Decades later, now a renowned sculptor, Ursula refuses to be interviewed for a documentary about Sue’s disappearance shortly after that night. A riveting story of madness, manipulation and suspense. Review soon…
Ana Kinsella’s Frida Slattery as Herself is a two-hander following Frida from her early acting days and John who has begun to make a name for himself as a director by the time they meet in 2006, eleven years after he first saw her perform. Over the next seventeen years, lines will blur in their creative relationship which becomes something else, one will walk away from the other, events in the outside world intervene, and success will be attained then fade before a massive risk is taken by one of them, leaving the power balance upended. I raced through this smart, funny and immersive doorstopper. Review to follow…
Ben Faccini’s Other People’s Children is about a family secret that surfaces when Tommaso’s grandmother is beset by troubling memories. As he becomes more unsettled by his grandmother’s revelations, Tommaso’s complicated life threatens to be upended. ‘Reaching back to the tumultuous days of the Italian resistance during the Second World War and into the domestic chaos of modern life, this is a story of the past’s long shadow, and the families we have and those we make’ says the blurb intriguingly.
Kathleen MacMahon’s Other People’s Lives follows two childhood friends now nearing fifty but still close despite their very
different lives: Justine married Iseult’s brother twenty-five years ago and is still living where they grew up while Iseult lives abroad in an unhappy marriage. When her daughter announces her engagement, Justine is prompted to examine the choices she and her friend made. ‘From the Women’s Prize longlisted author of Nothing But Blue Sky and The Home Scar, Other People’s Lives is a captivating story about the decisions we make in a heartbeat, and their lifelong consequences’ according to the blurb. Very much like the sound of that structure, and I enjoyed MacMahon’s previous novels.
That’s it for May’s first batch of new fiction. As ever, a click on a title will take you to a more detailed synopsis for any that take you fancy. Part two soon…
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The first three sound excellent and will go on my list. I find the cover of the Faccini rather disquieting, however!
It is, isn’t it! I can certainly vouch for the first two.
Just put my name down for the Claire Fuller via the library. Looks like I’ll be first in the queue. Loved what I’ve read by her so far
It felt darker to me than her previous novels but as impressive as usual. Hope you enjoy it, Karen.
These all sound tempting! Oh dear, my TBR is going nowhere…
I know what you mean! It never seems to get any smaller does it.
I really like the sound of the Gilmartin (mostly because I love Pinter!) so will check that one out for sure and Quindlan is always a sure bet.
She’s so good, isn’t she. Looking forward to both of those.
The Fuller sounds great and I love the cover… but I’ve been burnt by two of her previous novels so I now approach her with hesitation, even though she’s obviously a very talented writer and I did enjoy Our Endless Numbered Days.
I can see why that one would appeal to you. This one’s darker that the others I’ve read. I think that cover suits it well.
I know what you mean by darker re Endless Numbered Days but it’s interesting as I think Unsettled Ground is one of the most miserable books I’ve ever read in my life! So I definitely found that one darker in that sense.
It was pretty grim. This one is verging on the macabre.
I want all of these! But especially the MacMahon (I thought Nothing But Blue Sky was exceptionally good).
Good to hear! It’s a great month with more good stuff to come.
All of these books sound like they have potential for a good read. Some good Irish writers included, and yet I still have to read Gilmartin and McMahon. I just finished The Enchanted April. A fabulous Easter weekend read.
It’s years since I read that but I remember it as rather lovely. Highly recommend both Gilmartin and MacMahon.
Looking forward to the Fuller and Gilmartin, two of my most anticipated books of the year.
I’m looking forward to the Gilmartin too. I can certainly vouch for the Fuller.