Adam Thirlwell: The Escape
Politics, Thirlwell's debut, was a reasonable, if immediately forgettable attempt to emulate Kundera - slight but charming. This follow up after a seven year wait lacks that charm and is, instead, a bit irritating. (**)
Richard Asplin: Conman
With a quote from Tony Parsons on the front and a comparison with Ben Elton on the back this is a book I wouldn't normally touch with a bargepole but it is much better than those namedrops would suggest. When Neil's business falls on hard times he befriends a dodgy conman - and then things really start to go breasts uppermost. More Jake Arnott than Tony Parsons - thank god. (***)
Max Frisch: I'm Not Stiller
Kafka-esque novel about a man in prison who claims not to be Anatol Ludwig Stiller despite all the evidence to the contrary, including the fact that his wife, mistress and brother all say that he is. I must find out where this one goes. (****)
Megan Abbott: Queenpin
The wonderful retro cover reflects the wonderful retro content full of mobsters, casinos, women with legs to die for and other assorted cliches handled with aplomb. (****)
Chuck Palahniuk: Pygmy
Whether you go for this or not pretty much depends on how you respond to the broken pidgin English used by the narrator - an exchange student visiting the US from some strange invented hybrid Communist state. It annoyed me, so I gave up. You may have more patience. (**)
Robert Twigger: Dr Ragab's Universal Language
An unusual, surreal and genuinely intriguing novel from a writer more used to non-fiction. This gorgeous hardback has lured me in and I plan to read on. (***)
David Denby: Snark
Oh this is good. A measured, amusing and incisive attack on 'snarking' - the low-grade, insult-based journalism and humour which seems very much the rage at the moment. Essential reading for Nick Cohen and Tim Adams methinks. Oh, and probably for me too. (****)
Yael Politis: Lonely Tree
An engaging and enlightening novel set around the formation of the state of Israel. Politics, history, family and love are combined well with echoes of Louis de Bernieres at his most readable. (***)
William Shakespeare: The Tempest
Another take on the Shakespeare graphic novel. I realise it is sacrilegious to say this but, for me, there was too much of the text and not enough of the pictures. I would have preferred for more of the story to be told through the images. (***)
Josa Young: One Apple Tasted
Far too much pink on the cover to be aimed at me, and clearly designed for the classier end of the women's fiction market, but an entertaining read nonetheless. Three narratives - one each from the 1930s, 50s and 80s - combine to explore how past events can impact on future generations. (***)
Jacob Polley: Talk of the Town
It's a personal thing but I often struggle with books written in the vernacular. I either have to skim read so that it doesn't bog me down or go extra slow to work out what it all means. Either way removes a great deal of the reading pleasure. This debut, set in 80s Carlisle, has too many affternoons, watters and dropped G's for my liking. (**)
Stan Cattermole: Bete De Jour: The Intimate Adventures of an Ugly Man
Stan Cattermole is an ugly man. A very ugly man. Join jim as he searches for love, although a quick shag would do. This is a true story - painfully honest and painfully funny. I hope to welcome the author to the blog very soon. (****)
Terri Wiltshire: Carry Me Home
This confused me as it has a similar opening to Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman which is also published by Macmillan. Where this one differs is that it adds a parallel modern narrative and after my initial deja vu moment this did grow on me. (***)
Emma Vieceli: Manga Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing
All the wit and energy of Branagh's film adaptation but in comic book form. Perfect study aid. Almost made me like Shakespeare. (****)
Megan Abbott: The Song is You
I love how Pocket Books has packaged this series of crime novels. Both cover and contents hark back to pulp classics of the 40s and 50s. Great entertainment. (****)
Maggie Dana: Beachcombing
An edgy romance about getting back with an old flame - 35 years on! At the more sophisticated end of the genre this will appeal equally to chicklit fans and those of a more literary persuasion. Perfect summer reading. (***)
Dale Peck: Sprout
A gay teenager with green hair moves with his father from New York to Kansas. They do things differently there. A coming of age novel with some verve and edge. A great books for teenagers to read. (***)
Shannon Burke: Black Flies
A novel about a paramedic set in 1990s Harlem. Lots of gore and action. I am a bit suspicious of the lack of boring and pointless calls that Tom Reynolds describes so well in Blood Sweat & Tea but this is a compelling read so far. (***)
Aleksandar Hemon: Love and Obstacles
I tried three of the stories but just couldn't get in to any of them. (**)
Jessica Ruston: Luxury
Remember the guilty pleasure of reading a Harold Robbins or a Judith Krantz? Jess has brought the old-fashioned blockbuster bang up to date. This could be quite a ride. (***)
Diana Mosley: The Pursuit of Laughter
A worthy addition to the ever-growing Mitford library. This collection of articles, reviews and diary entries is perfect for dipping into on these long summer evenings. (****)
China Mieville: The City and the City
Mieville has carved a popular sci-fi/fantasy niche with his books to date. This is more of a crime thriller but still set in an imagined world. Can't say it has grabbed me so far but I should probably read some of his other stuff first. (***)
Tim Murgatroyd: Taming Poison Dragons
An epic novel of old China. I confess I found the narrative a little stilted, reading more like an old-fashioned translation, which was probably what the author was trying for but it bugged me. (**)
Tim Burrows: From CBGB to the Roundhouse
'Why do so many music venues close when art galleries and museums are preserved?' - a good question from the author which sets the tone for this interesting and entertaining study. (***)
Julian Evans: Semi-invisible Man: The Life of Norman Lewis
I have never read any Lewis, although I have his final book on my shelves. The preface of this book, which reads like the perfect essay on the art of biography, impressed me so much that I will have to read more. (****)
Jenn Ashworth: A Kind of Intimacy
I have two friends who are obsessed by morbidly obese people and they will love this. I enjoyed it too. Narrated by an XXL woman as she tries to make a fresh start in life. Funny, sexy and slightly odd. (***)
Caroline Rance: Kill-Grief
18th century Chester. A young nurse with a secret to hide starts work at a new hospital. This reminded me of The Observations by Jane Harris and is recommended to anyone who enjoyed that book. I will read more of this soon. (***)
Muriel Barbery: The Gourmet
In a wonderful example of linked novels, this prequel fleshes out the story of the food critic from current bestseller The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Here we find him on his deathbed, desperate to recall a forgotten flavour from his youth. A small tasty morsel and the perfect accompaniment to one of the sleeper hits of this year. (***)
Giancarlo de Cataldo: Father and the Foreigner, The
The fathers of two disabled sons become friends but their relationship takes a sinister turn. A most intriguing Italian novel. Quite short too, and one I shall definitely be finishing off soon. (****)
Chris Simms: The Edge
Simms writes gritty, down to earth crime fiction to rival the very best of them. And he isn't scared of killing off a major recurring character in this latest instalment. If you like crime and have yet to read his work then might I suggest you get your bloody finger out. (***)
Chris Ewan: The Good Thief's Guide to Paris
A crime series narrated by a thief who is also a crime writer. Like a circle in a circle like a wheel inside a wheel. One of the more imaginative and original crime writers around at the moment and a series of books (the first one is set in Amsterdam) that I am sure is destined for big things. (****)
Sebastian flees the ratrace, guitar in hand, to 'find himself' on a spiritual journey to the Far East. The blurb describes this as 'an intelligent and absorbing fusion of ancient philosophy, modern science, mathematics and music'. That's actually quite a good summary (although I didn't get as far as the maths).
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