Book news, reviews and recommendations
A year ago I reviewed Louise Kennedy’s The End of the World is a Cul de Sac which taxed my usual picking of favourites short story review tactic because, without exception, they were all excellent. I was delighted, then, when her first novel, Trespasses, popped through my letter box. Set in early ‘70s County Down […]
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy: The personal and the political Read More »
With the exception of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, I’m not such an avid follower of literary prizes as I once was although I can’t seem to resist speculating about the Booker. That said, this year’s shortlist is making me think I need to keep an eye on the Rathbones Folio Prize, two titles from
Paperbacks to Look Out For in May 2022: Part One Read More »
It was its cover that attracted me to Ellen Hawley’s Other People Manage. A bit Anne Tylerish, I thought, suggesting a novel about the ordinary everyday with a cast of characters you might recognise and a good dollop of insight. I wasn’t far wrong but there’s also a story behind Hawley’s book, sent unsolicited to
Other People Manage by Ellen Hawley: Finding a way to carry on Read More »
It’s unlikely that readers won’t already know about Booker Prize-winning Douglas Stuart’s new novel. Young Mungo has been all over my Twitter timeline for months. Despite the usual reservations about second novels, I was champing at the bit for a copy then circled around it in the same way I did with Shuggie Bain, suspecting
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart: ‘He had so little to fear now’ Read More »
Back in 2018, I was sent a beautifully jacketed novella with an interesting premise. The press release included a puff from Jon McGregor which swung it for me. Its pared back, evocative description of the Spanish landscape and fable like story landed Luis Carrasco’s El Hacho on my books of the year list. His second
Ghosts of Spring by Luis Carrasco: Homelessness and hope Read More »
I’d not been to Manchester since I can’t remember when but I do recall going to a Rock Against Racism gig there which tells British readers of a certain age something. It was soon clear that the derelict, grimy city of those days had been replaced by a prosperous shiny updated version, at least in
Four Days in Manchester and Half a Book Read More »
Back from Manchester (more of which next week) with a rare thing for me: a review of a book whose author approached me directly. I tend to politely turn these down to avoid any disappointment or awkwardness but I liked the sound of Clare O’Dea’s Voting Day which follows four women over the course of
Voting Day by Clare O’Dea: The importance of having your say Read More »
The premise of Heather Marshall’s Looking for Jane immediately appealed to me: the chance discovery of a misdelivered letter sets the woman who stumbled upon it on a quest to find the addressee, long since gone elsewhere. Marshall uses this trigger to explore the underground networks that existed in both Canada and the USA providing
Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall: ‘There will always be a need’ Read More »
This is the third novel in as many weeks I’ve read with a writing theme although it’s entirely different from either Antoine Wilson’s Mouth to Mouth or Andrew Lipstein’s Last Resort. It was part of my attraction to Lee Cole’s Groundskeeping but if I’m honest it was that lovely jacket that first snagged my attention.
Groundskeeping by Lee Cole: ‘Isn’t that what fiction is, though? Sanctioned lying?’ Read More »
Regular readers won’t be surprised to hear that it was the art theme that first drew me to Charlotte Mendelson’s The Exhibitionist but it’s a background note to the overriding one of dysfunctional families, another favourite, and they don’t come much more dysfunctional than the Hanrahans. Mendelson’s novel follows the family over a weekend when
The Exhibitionist by Charlotte Mendelson: ‘Hearts are elastic, but only up to a point’ Read More »
It was that glorious cover that caught my eye on Twitter, singing out on a dank winter’s day, and when I read its blurb Andrew Lipstein’s debut sounded right up my alley. Last Resort tells the story of how a writer came to both realise his ambition and frustrate it when his first novel is
Last Resort by Andrew Lipstein: Who owns the story? Read More »