A very interesting insight into the geopolitics of North Korea- specifically the development of the Kim Dynasty culminating in the leadership of Kim JA very interesting insight into the geopolitics of North Korea- specifically the development of the Kim Dynasty culminating in the leadership of Kim Jong University. North Korean geopolitics is a high interest topic for me and this was an absorbing, detailed, well-reasoned read. ...more
An atmospheric, well-paced Christmas novella. I often find novellas tricky- like short stories that are too long, or novels that aren’t long enough, bAn atmospheric, well-paced Christmas novella. I often find novellas tricky- like short stories that are too long, or novels that aren’t long enough, but this was just the right length. A great, quick read for a festive week. ...more
A blast from the past with old school army Reacher was just what I needed. This is definitely the best of the co-written Reacher novels so far. PlentyA blast from the past with old school army Reacher was just what I needed. This is definitely the best of the co-written Reacher novels so far. Plenty of all the things we love about Reacher, nothing to complain about....more
A good mystery but a bit too sentimental and sedate in the telling for me. In this particular moment of my life I needed something with a bit more pacA good mystery but a bit too sentimental and sedate in the telling for me. In this particular moment of my life I needed something with a bit more pace and grit. ...more
This is unconventional, ominous, and unsettling storytelling. It’s bound to be a divisive feature of the Booker longlist because this is very much a sThis is unconventional, ominous, and unsettling storytelling. It’s bound to be a divisive feature of the Booker longlist because this is very much a story where what is actually happening sits in the periphery, obscured by the indirect and perhaps unreliable narration. I was consistently impressed by Bernstein’s writing. At a word-by-word, sentence-by-sentence level, this is stunningly constructed. Where for some readers, the obscurity of the plot will be alienating, I found this helps Bernstein to build the ‘vibes’. In a story about an outsider in an isolated community, strong overtones of religious persecution, and unconventional relationships between family members, and with the outside world, this felt like an asset. By no means a perfect reading experience, but thought provoking. ...more
This Other Eden is a subtly told story, heavily influenced by the real events which occured on Malaga Island off the coast of Maine. It's a very emotiThis Other Eden is a subtly told story, heavily influenced by the real events which occured on Malaga Island off the coast of Maine. It's a very emotionally charged, immersive story and I found the paralells with real events particularly particularly interesting. What I think Harding does especially well here, is to explore themes of race in understated ways. Although the novel builds towards a devastaing conclusion which doesn't come as a surprise to the reader at all, the way we reach this is tied so closely to the deeply-drawn individual characters. This makes it a quiet novel, rather than a loud one, and that subtlety worked well for me as a reader. I wouldn't be upset to see this make the shortlist....more
I absolutely loved this book from the first page to the last. My bookclub tagline for this read was “bleakness” and that is a spot on description for I absolutely loved this book from the first page to the last. My bookclub tagline for this read was “bleakness” and that is a spot on description for the essential vibe of this novel. Geary really captures the harsh, unrelenting challenge of growing up poor in 1980s Ireland. It feels derivative to make comments like ‘shades of Shuggie Bain’, and unfair to Geary who I think is really doing his own thing here. Where the comparison really works for me is that like Stuart, Geary constructs these complex, vivid, flawed characters and places them in a narrative that allows us to feel empathy at times for all of them in spite of their sometimes immense and troubling flaws. He brings a place and a time to life in a way that feels authentic, without apologising for its shortcomings but littering the story with glimmers of hope and connection. This is a novel to lose yourself in, what a treat. ...more
Firmly in the liked but didn’t love camp with this Booker longlisted epic, and probably because I am not quite clever enough to have really ‘got’ it (Firmly in the liked but didn’t love camp with this Booker longlisted epic, and probably because I am not quite clever enough to have really ‘got’ it (at least not right now). MacInnes is doing some clever stuff in terms of playing with the science fiction genre, to present a narrative that has some significant things about our relationship with our planet, and the solar system beyond, which seemed to me at least to be a commentary about the current climate crisis at heart. There are some shut-the-front-door beautiful sequences of prose in here. Ultimately I found it a little uneven (falling away in the final space sequences) and it kept me at enough of a distance that some of the heart-stopping moments didn’t quite nail their impact. Imperfect but very clever....more
Unpopular opinion incoming: Reader, I hated it. 2 stars because it’s objectively well written but this was an absolute snooze of a read for me. Let’s Unpopular opinion incoming: Reader, I hated it. 2 stars because it’s objectively well written but this was an absolute snooze of a read for me. Let’s chalk it up to a book-reader mismatch. Live, laugh, love fellow readers. ...more
A very under-appreciated novel which I am so glad came to my attention. O Caledonia is an excellent work of characterisation. Although it begins with A very under-appreciated novel which I am so glad came to my attention. O Caledonia is an excellent work of characterisation. Although it begins with a murder, it’s not a mystery, rather a precisely constructed portrait of its central character, Janet- a young girl who is misunderstood and who struggles to fit in with her family and peer group. Janet is so complexly drawn, and the prose is thoughtful and measured. An excellent character study. ...more
Far more detailed than I needed, nevertheless this is an interesting, thorough, immersive analysis of the Cuban Missile Crisis and it’s place in the bFar more detailed than I needed, nevertheless this is an interesting, thorough, immersive analysis of the Cuban Missile Crisis and it’s place in the broader arc of the Cold War. A great passive commute audio to get me in the zone for my scholarship programme on communism this year. ...more
Time Shelter is a novel that I found incredibly interesting at an ideas level. Gospodinov is explores time, history, and our relationship with the pasTime Shelter is a novel that I found incredibly interesting at an ideas level. Gospodinov is explores time, history, and our relationship with the past in such an original way and this novel has all sorts of insightful things to say about these themes. Unfortunately it is also a novel that kept me at arms length as a reader. I found the book became more compelling over time, but structurally the sections didn’t hang together as a cohesive narrative to me. This meant that the central characters Georgi and Gaustine never became three-dimensional for me. Conceptually original and challenging, but the execution was off a bit for this reader....more
The best crime novel I’ve read this year. The Likeness gives The Secret History vibes mixed with excellent, Irish procedural crime storytelling. AlthoThe best crime novel I’ve read this year. The Likeness gives The Secret History vibes mixed with excellent, Irish procedural crime storytelling. Although the premise is a bit wild, once you suspend this disbelief you’re in for a richly characterised, complexly plotted, well-paced, gritty novel. I loved and luxuriated in every minute of reading this. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series. ...more
This is a very interesting collection of interlinked short stories/ a non-linear novel. Talty’s stories about the life of a family on the Penobscot ReThis is a very interesting collection of interlinked short stories/ a non-linear novel. Talty’s stories about the life of a family on the Penobscot Reservation is confronting in many ways. The impact of substance abuse and generational deprivation sits at the centre of each of these stories. Although there are moments in this collection that are unrelentingly bleak, there are also moments of humour in the narrative voice. In this way, Talty takes a look at the complexities of lives in these places. As will all collections, this was a little uneven, but built towards a devastating conclusion....more
There’s a lot going on in this sparsely written, vibes-over-plot modern vampire story. It would be easy to be dragged in by the vampire vibe and be exThere’s a lot going on in this sparsely written, vibes-over-plot modern vampire story. It would be easy to be dragged in by the vampire vibe and be expecting much less than what this novel is doing. Kohda is using the vampire trope in a very modern way to explore big ideas like the desire to feel like we are really living, isolation and belonging, the threat and challenges of young womanhood, imposter syndrome, race, and the complexities of our modern relationship with food and hunger. Although stylistically I found this novel distancing at times, ultimately this helped me engage with it on an ideas level. A very clever and interesting novel. ...more
A classic, locked-room mystery in the style of Agatha Christie. I found this entertaining and undemanding, and I enjoyed the slightly different flavouA classic, locked-room mystery in the style of Agatha Christie. I found this entertaining and undemanding, and I enjoyed the slightly different flavour the Japanese context gave the story. ...more
I’m glad that I finally read this novel which has been on my radar for years. It’s a different kind of crime story that isn’t about who did it, or whyI’m glad that I finally read this novel which has been on my radar for years. It’s a different kind of crime story that isn’t about who did it, or why they did it, but how people respond when a crime happens in their midst. Berne does well to keep the crime on the periphery, just one element of plot and setting, rather than the axis of the novel. Although told from the clearly flawed perspective of this child, this novel examines the psyches of adults just as well. A compelling story about our flaws, the complexity of belonging to a community, and response to threat. ...more
An incredibly thoroughly researched investigation into the grocery industy. This book was recommended to me by a friend who knew I'd enjoyed Richard FAn incredibly thoroughly researched investigation into the grocery industy. This book was recommended to me by a friend who knew I'd enjoyed Richard Flanagan's Toxic: The Rotting Underbelly of the Tasmania Salmon Industry and it did not disappoint. It's the kind of deep dive into an ordinary, everyday part of our lives that is rarely given specific thought. Lorr interrogates the obvious parts of the grocery industry like brand development, corporate structure, store systems and employment practices. Where this book really excels is in the chapters that explore more niche elements of the industry. The chapters on trucking and the Thai shirmp industry could have been whole books on their own. Minus one star only because I lacked some of the cultural capital to really grasp the nuance of some arguments about particular grocery brands in the US. ...more
I often thought to myself as I read this “why have I left it so long to pick this up?” But at the same time, I think this little bit of distance from I often thought to myself as I read this “why have I left it so long to pick this up?” But at the same time, I think this little bit of distance from the election that Hillary lost has given me the space to appreciate this story that little bit more than I might have. Alternate histories are always a gamble, especially as a reader who loves history. But Sittenfeld continues to be able to do no wrong. She’s pitched these characters perfectly, so that although we know this story is a could have been it still feels authentic and possible. Sure at moments it’s a little bit didactic or obvious about what it’s trying to say about feminism, politics, specific people, but in the end that didn’t make it any less of an engaging read for me. I loved this. ...more
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