This one reeeks of chick lit with the almost unreadable cursive writing on the cover, but it’s a step above that. A story told in a succession of letters; who would have thought that could make sense? But it does, and it’s a worthwhile story.
General fiction
The Light Between Oceans by ML Steadman
This one is a book club favourite for a reason. The what would you do storyline is deeply manipulative, but makes for a good discussion if you find it believable. It’s all a bit overwrought for my liking.
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
My, so angry. This deeply unpleasant read is populated with characters manifesting varying degrees of rage and resentment towards one another, but it’s also kind of awesome. So close to the bone. Like cyanide, it needs to be taken in small doses.
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
The blurb on this one reads “what if you had the chance to live your life again and again, until you finally got it right?” Reincarnation into the same time, place and family is an odd concept, but dealt with so matter-of-factly by Atkinson that it never seems unbelievable. Such a great read. So very English. […]
Private Life by Jane Smiley
This beautiful book is about women who dedicate their lives to men who are not quite worthy of them. So good, you will be pressing it on others.
A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Can a novel published in 1980 count as a classic? I say yes, when it’s a good as this one. Hilarious and unforgettable.
Between A Wolf and A Dog by Geogia Blain
The story behind this 2017 novel is so sad it can only be true. Blain started writing this novel about a woman called Ester who has a brain tumour. She then found out one of her friends had a brain tumour, and she worried about the book’s impact on her friend. Then Blain found out […]
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle
I love everything about this 1994 novel, but mostly I love how Doyle demonstrates that simple writing can be so profound. Told from the perspective of 10 year old Irish Catholic Paddy Doyle, watching his parents’ marriage slowly disintegrate while he tries to make sense of school and church and other kids, this book is […]