What We Read in April
Dinah, a New Zealand woman swallowed by the grief of losing her twin brother Michael, journeys to Japan to teach English at a small university. There, she encounters Yasuko, another teacher burdened by her own losses. Despite their differences, an unlikely friendship blossoms between the two women, united by the profound sorrows they share. Reminiscent of her Booker Prize-nominated novel The Chimes, Anna Smaill delves into the evocative themes of music, memory, and belonging and uses subtle yet stunning changes of imagery to craft a captivating and unsettling narrative.
Greta is a 45 year old drifting through life, unable to process the grief of her mother's suicide over 30 years ago. Living in a ramshackle house in a posh upstate New York town with the local weed dealer, Greta works as a transcriptionist for the local sex therapist, living vicariously through the people whose sessions she transcribes. Big Swiss is the kind of book that made me anxious and itchy. I didn't like Greta, or Big Swiss or Om the sex therapist, or the chaotic lifestyles of the main characters, but I did enjoy the language and the dark humour. Not for everyone, but a clever novel.
Run to the Western Shore by Tim Pears
Quintus, a slave to the Roman army, and Olwyn, gifted by her tribal father to the Roman General who rules their area, flee from their share plight across Wales to the Western Shore in 72CE. A trip back in time, a nature walk mixed with mythology and storytelling as the pair head for freedom, this is a gentle, beautiful and immersive read that reminded me a lot of The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt
Tova Sullivan, a septuagenarian shrouded in the recent loss of her husband, finds solace in the quiet solitude of the night shift cleaning crew at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Her methodical routine of scraping gum and polishing tanks conceals a deeper grief – the decades-old disappearance of her son at sea. Meanwhile in another city, a bitterness festers within 30-year-old Cameron Cassmore. Blaming everyone but himself for his unfulfilled potential, despite his exceptional memory and intellect, he navigates a seemingly meaningless life. Unbeknownst to them both, a sentient being observes from within the aquarium's depths. Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus nearing the end of his four-year lifespan, keenly tracks the passing days – 1299 and counting, keeping his secrets close. In an unexpected convergence, these three – a grieving woman, a disillusioned man, and an intelligent octopus – forge an unlikely connection, a poignant tapestry. Remarkably Bright Creatures will resonate with readers of Frederick Backman, Bonnie Garmus and Helen Simonson.
Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford
Imagine a version of American history where most of the native population survived the initial contact with European colonists and went on to create a thriving modern culture around the Mississippi river, voted to become part of the United States and sheltered people from Jim Crow states. 1920s Cahokia is a city of three parts - the white, the native and the black - which operates under an uneasy truce, ruled over by a King with an Aztec name. Until a brutal murder stirs up tensions and sets the fragile balance askew. Joe Barrow is a detective in the city's police force, native by birth, but a foundling, separated from his culture, who is struggling to find his place in this unique city. As the murder sets the city on fire, and the Klan rally, Barrow must race to uncover the secrets that threaten this fragile place. I loved this utterly unique and immersive book.
A Brief History of the Countryside in 100 Objects by Sally Coulthard
Sally Coulthard is a go to nonfiction author for her. I find her writing on the history, people and animals of rural Britain informative and easy to read. Here she chronicles the last several thousand years of British history though objects of importance to rural life. From knitting need holders that allowed both men and women to craft while doing other things, to lambing chairs, canal boat panels and smaller objects like jewellery and toys, Coulthard works from prehistory to the modern day, from the Romans to climate change in this very human account of how we lived and how that still impacts our lives today.
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Under a new identity, a woman seeks sanctuary on a windswept Irish island where, amidst the solitude, she hides from the public scorn cast upon her by her husband's dark deeds. Haunted by the loss of one daughter and the strained relationship with another, she yearns only for a space to grieve and mend. Yet, even on this remote outpost, secrets have a way of resurfacing, a gnawing question taking root: while ignorant of her husband's crimes, was she, by association, complicit? Thematically and stylistically, this novel evokes the haunting beauty of Audrey Magee's The Colony, and the raw emotional resonance of Sebastian Barry's Old God's Time. It serves as a promising first installment in Boyne's planned quartet.
After a few heavy books, I was keen for something more straight forward, but certainly picked the wrong book here. Pip is a over achieving student who, for her final project in her last year at school, seeks to disprove a murder/suicide theory from 5 years earlier. Along with the alleged murderer's brother, Pip delves into the dark underworld of their small village, where, it seems, everyone is a suspect. A well crafted and fast paced page turner of a read - not just for young adults!
The Vanishing Point by Andrea Hotere
Set partly in the 1660s court of King Philip IV of Spain and partly in the London fine art world of the 1990s, The Vanishing Point deftly balances a centuries old art mystery with a contemporary thriller. A captivating and informative read.
Read our review of The Vanishing Point here.
A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
T. Kingfisher is the queen of cosy horror, winning the Hugo Award for her reworked fairytale Nettle & Bone. Unlike that, A House with Good Bones is set in our world, in a bland subdivision in the American south, where Sam Montgomery returns to after her archeology dig is put on hold. In the house of her bitter and mean late Grandmother, where her mother still lives, Sam finds things an unsettling atmosphere hanging heavy in the air. Her mother is acting strangely, and something's not right in the garden either. And then there's the vultures... Part supernatural gothic horror, part fantasy mystery, this is a fun romp of a read, but be warned, if you're scared of bugs, skeletons, babies or birds of prey, perhaps steer clear.
Vinland Saga 1 by Makoto Yukimura
The gripping first chapter in a five-part saga this comic masterfully blends the visual dynamism of anime with the epic sweep of Viking legends. This historical drama unfolds through the vengeance-fueled journey of a young man, thrust prematurely into a world of violence as he seeks to avenge his father's brutal murder in the 11th century. Both informative and entertaining, Vinland Saga is a captivating exploration of Viking culture with the enduring themes of loss, justice, and redemption.
