Enjoy Matt Haig’s hotly anticipated new novel, go deeper into the work of one of Colombia’s greatest writers, become absorbed in historical fiction or indulge in the re-telling of one of the biggest young adult series of all time… Here are 10 new books to read this week.
Fiction
1. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is published in hardback by Canongate, priced £11.55 Amazon.
Between life and death, there is a library. When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library she has a chance to live all the lives she’d always regretted not pursuing. With the help of an old friend, she feels she can now track down her perfect, so far elusive, life. The Midnight Library is arguably Haig’s best work to date; once inside the library, you really won’t want to leave. Life-affirming without falling into cliché, the plot draws on Haig’s own mental health battles, and experiences around suicide and depression. It is a work that will resonate with so many, is thoroughly thought-provoking and beautifully written. It fully lives up to the (well deserved) hype that surrounds it.
9/10
(Review by Megan Baynes)
2. All Men Want To Know by Nina Bouraoui is published in paperback by Viking, priced £9.56 Amazon
An introspective work of autobiographical fiction, Nina Bouraoui’s narrative shifts seamlessly between a confused 18-year-old in 1980s Paris, and the narrator’s childhood in Algiers, Algeria, which became independent from France in 1962. Offering disjointed snapshots of a life torn between two competing identities, All Men Want To Know is a deeply personal exploration of cultural and personal identity, sexuality and belonging. Written in a dreamy, lyrical style, the narrative gives a sense of unravelling as much as it does coming together. Raw and sensual, readers will be enraptured by the narrator’s intense evocations of guilt, desire and longing, delivered in passages of beautiful, erotic poetry disguised as prose.
8/10
(Review by Scarlett Sangster)
3. Sisters by Daisy Johnson is published in hardback by Jonathan Cape, priced £12.99 Amazon
Booker-shortlisted Daisy Johnson’s second novel is a darkly disquieting thriller. It features two teenage sisters, distinctly different from each other but intertwined, living in a crumbling house on the edge of the North York Moors that seems to embody a family’s distress. Older by just 10 months, September wields a disturbing influence over her sister July, leading to an incident which causes their remote, depressive mother to seek refuge from their former home in Oxford, taking them with her. The minutiae of young July’s off-kilter existence are relentlessly evoked with a closeness that at times feels almost claustrophobic. The descriptions are vivid enough to stop you in your tracks, and the narrative draws to a psychologically apt conclusion.
8/10
(Review by Lucy Whetman)
4. Summerwater by Sarah Moss is published by Picador in hardback, priced £10.50 Amazon
Being stuck inside while it rains relentlessly can bring about a reflective frame of mind, and Summerwater is just that. It follows 12 characters whose lives converge in a Scottish cabin park on a wet summer’s day, with Sarah Moss giving us a glimpse inside each miniature bubble of family life. Every character is so completely relatable, the novel becomes almost sentient, with Moss’ pensive and eloquent descriptions flowing throughout. Evocative, with deft touches of humour, sadness and cruelty, Summerwater perfectly encapsulates a cross-section of modern British society.
8/10
(Review by Rebecca Wilcock)
5. The Honey And The Sting by EC Fremantle is published by Michael Joseph in hardback, priced £11.55 Amazon
EC Fremantle’s historical novel follows three sisters in a maze of twists and turns in 1628 England. The narrator, Hester, carries much of the weight of the story, as she’s left to raise her illegitimate son to the Duke of Buckingham. The pacing of the plot, the tension that oozes and the occasional flirt with the supernatural grabs your attention, and Fremantle highlights the many issues women faced in the 17th century. It’s an engaging read, however Melis – the most interesting of the sisters, who has eerie and often accurate visions of the future – lacks the development she deserves.
7/10
(Review by Charlotte Kelly)
6. Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi is published by Michael Joseph in hardback, priced £10.68 Amazon
In Alex Pavesi’s debut novel, young book editor Julia Hart travels to a remote village in the hopes of convincing Grant McAllister, a reclusive writer, to republish his collection of detective stories. McAllister knows the rules for murder mysteries: there must be victims, suspects, detectives and a murder, and all his stories follow this formula. However, Hart is quick to spot inconsistencies within his work, which point to a real life murder. Eight Detectives is a clever premise, but one that doesn’t quite get off the ground and lacks the suspense of a memorable murder mystery. Mini mysteries throughout the book pay homage to some of the best in the genre, however the stories feel rushed and the main two characters are rather underdeveloped, leaving the ending a little unsatisfying.
6/10
(Review by Megan Baynes)
Non-Fiction
7. The Scandal Of The Century by Gabriel García Márquez is published in paperback by Viking, priced £9 Amazon
This newly translated collection of articles by Gabriel García Márquez, who died in 2014, reminds us the Nobel-laureate novelist wanted to be remembered foremost as a journalist. In the Hispanic world, his Foundation for New Ibero-American Journalism sustains that reputation. In fact, reading these articles spanning four decades demonstrates he was both novelist and journalist at once. The earlier articles, reportage of events ranging from petty crimes to the US embargo on Cuba, shows his ability to find a compelling story in any situation. The later articles are more reflective and personal. Márquez’s matter-of-fact accounts of remarkable things – and his fanciful accounts of mundane things – will be familiar to fans of his novels, such as One Hundred Years Of Solitude. This varied collection offers English readers a more intimate acquaintance with Márquez the journalist, which enhances, rather than rivals, his fiction.
7/10
(Review by Dan Brotzel)
8. A Dutiful Boy: A Memoir Of A Gay Muslim’s Journey To Acceptance by Mohsin Zaidi is published by Square Peg in hardback, priced £11.99 Amazon
Mohsin Zaidi’s autobiography sets a scene where coming out seems inconceivable. It chronicles the author’s coming of age in a devout Shia Muslim community in east London: a community where the expression of his sexuality would lead to instant ostracisation from family members and friends. That Zaidi won the fight is evident in the way he became the first pupil from his school to attend Oxford University, going on to become a distinguished barrister working at The Hague on a war crimes trial. A Dutiful Boy details in a delicate and highly engrossing fashion the battles he was forced to wage every step of the way – both with those around him, and deep within himself.
8/10
(Review by Mark Staniforth)
Children’s book of the week
9. The Mega Magic Teacher Swap by Rochelle Humes, illustrated by Rachel Suzanne, is published in paperback by Templar Publishing, priced £5.94 Amazon
Best recognised as a television presenter and popstar, Rochelle Humes returns with her second book for young kids after 2019’s The Mega Magic Hair Swap. Best friends Mai and Rose, accompanied again by Coco, their trusty wish-granting coconut, are now moving into a new school year. Saddened to be leaving their beloved teacher Mrs Bee, they ask Coco to magic her back – a wish that doesn’t turn out as hoped. Colourful illustrations by Rachel Suzanne are a delight and captivating for young eyes, but it is unlikely to electrify adults acting as reading co-pilots. However, as Humes has said herself, this is all about helping little ones feel confident about moving into a new school year. Given the turbulence of 2020 so far, that’s an essential message reflected perfectly.
7/10
(Review by Edd Dracott)
10. Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer is published by Atom in hardback, priced £11 Amazon
The latest installment in the world-famous Twilight saga, Midnight Sun, is a book 12 years in the making. For all its hype, Bella and Edward’s romance finally re-told from the vampire’s perspective is, disappointingly, a little uninspiring. Though filled with nostalgia for avid Twilight fans, Edward’s lengthy and often repetitive narrative may not be enough to hold the attention of a more casual reader until its gripping, action-packed conclusion. The book, previously leaked as an unfinished draft in 2008, shows an insight into Edward’s intense, verging-on-obsessive behaviour, that may have been better left to the imagination of its young fans. The young adult novel will satisfy readers itching for more from the vampiric saga, but isn’t quite filled with enough untold backstory from the 104-year-old protagonist to make Edward’s re-telling of the romance a must-read.
5/10
(Review by Emily Chudy)
