FICTION REVIEWS
stern eye of devout Gretta, who is aggrieved that her children have abandoned the Catholic Church. It is only in this middle section, where the family is together but uncertain how to act, that the pace ever flags. It emerges that both
Robert and Gretta have their own secrets, which are at the root of Robert’s absence. Gretta knows more than she is saying, and it takes a family trip back to Ireland to reveal the whole truth. Suspense is created
by O’Farrell’s remarkable handling of time. This chronological swirl – whole lives and generations are seamlessly captured within the confines of one summer – is an O’Farrell technique, and one that is breathtakingly executed. The reader is never confused while decades are travelled, injecting the simplest life story with tension. O’Farrell’s warmth, humanity and acute observations make this a novel to revel in.
Reviewed by Joanna Briscoe, whose novel You (Bloomsbury) is out now
The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg Serpent’s Tail PB/EB Out February The reader is propelled straight into the lives of the Middlestein family – their
past, their present, and the urgent questions regarding their future. Edie and Richard have been married for over 30 years; their two children have grown up and flown the
nest. Growing more and more overweight, Edie is flagrantly risking her health until one day Richard can take it no longer. He leaves his wife and embarks on a new single life, much to the consternation of his family. But loyalty and love are never as simple as they seem. An intricate portrait of a family in which Jami Attenberg weaves tension and love to fashion a clever and engaging tale.
RP-W
Ten Things I’ve Learnt about Love by Sarah Butler Picador HB/EB Out now Sarah Butler’s debut is a heartwarming book with a strong message of hope. The
story revolves around two protagonists and their interlinking tales: Alice, who has rushed back to London after months of travelling abroad to be with her dying father; and Daniel, a homeless man who spends his days searching the streets for the daughter he has never met. The stories are equally compelling, and the interaction between Alice and Daniel is beautifully handled. A lovely novel.
SB
The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin W&N HB/EB Out now Talmadge the orchardist tends his fruit trees alone, until two pregnant young
women seek refuge on his land. He shows them kindness, and they slowly become part of his life. The
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Worthless Men by Andrew Cowan Sceptre HB/EB Out February Based around the inhabitants of an English city in 1916 in which early patriotic
enthusiasm has waned: young men have left, some have returned damaged, some are missing. The city is not the idyllic dream of home that men went to fight for. Scarred by the Industrial Revolution, its rivers are polluted, its people turning to drink to escape the drudgery of slaving for a wage in dangerous factories. Andrew Cowan’s voices ring so true they break your heart. This novel has the feel of an elegiac poem, and it’s an absolute delight to read. SH
Harvest by Jim Crace Picador HB/EB Out February The arrival of strangers in a medieval village at harvest time coincides with a fire that
destroys the master’s dovecote. Sentenced to a week in the pillory, their presence sows seeds of
novel centres on the interactions of the girls, Talmadge, and his neighbours, all tied into the seasonal rhythms that dictate the confines of Talmadge’s existence. The rich prose takes its time to captivate the reader, but it comes to explore how we shape our lives and the lives of those we love – and how all actions have consequences.
BC
mistrust in the close-knit community, which grow as locals hear of a plan to replace their barley and cattle with sheep. Walter Thirsk – raised in the master’s household but married to a villager – looks on warily with divided loyalties. The ethereal prose of one of Britain’s most elegant writers reflects the fluctuating relationship between the people and the land. As the community divides, suspicion and superstition boil over.
JR
The Library of Unrequited Love by Sophie Divry MacLehose Press HB/EB Out now Wandering through the library one morning before opening, a librarian
stumbles across an errant reader. Trapped in the library overnight, he must wait until opening time before he can be freed. In the meantime, the librarian bombards her companion with her myriad thoughts on libraries, life and love: from the Dewey Decimal System to her perceived hierarchy of librarians and, crucially, her unrequited love for one of her regulars, Martin. Skilfully translated from the French by Siân Reynolds, Sophie Divry’s novel is short but sweet. RP-W
A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers H. Hamilton HB/EB Out February Fading businessman Alan Clay surveys the Saudi Arabian desert, and the
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