books reviews
GATHERING BLOSSOMS UNDER FIRE:
Edited by Valerie Boyd (Simon & Schuster, £25)
THE JOURNALS OF ALICE
creates ripples throughout the town as they enter the homes and lives of the locals, with varying conse- quences. Significant relationships form, despite the efforts of some lo- cals to dissuade the warm welcome. Exploring the viewpoint from a variety of different characters, in- cluding the intriguing Professor and teenagers Joe and Liam, the author explores contemporary themes in- cluding migration, climate change and the refugee crisis. prolific author, here Maggie Gee encourag- es thought and questions about the way we live and interact with one another, and how differences on the surface can be overcome.
Gathering Blossoms Under Fire comprises a selection of entries from the journals of Alice Walker, spanning a life’s journey and mem- ories for one of the most important writers of the 20th century’s latter half. Her talent as a novelist, short story writer, poet and essayist are demonstrated here in an intimate portrayal of her sometimes-com- plex story – one underlined by her interest in human rights as an Afri- can-American, participating in the Black freedom struggle, and as an artist and intellectual. Walker’s private life, including her marriage to a Jewish lawyer and the birth of her child, are all fraught with
es. Gathering Blossoms’ opening poem, When Love Is Unfashion- able, is a beautiful reection of her emotions and thoughts. The book spans four decades, beginning in the 1960s when she was scarcely out of her teens and concluding in the ear- ly part of this century. The journey that led her to write her definitive work, the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Color Purple, is chronicled. Her achievements, talents and success as a writer are interjected with sensitive moments, so typical of a diary kept over the years. Al- ice Walker had always kept journals and notebooks, and the results are found in this volume, sharing her story. EMILY EDWARDS
challenges which she fac-
THE RED CHILDREN Maggie Gee (Telegram, £14.99)
road trip. JOHN-PAUL DAVIES
WAYWARD Vashti Bunyan (White Rabbit, £16.99)
that it recently won Galley Beggar Press’ prestigious annual Short Sto- ry Prize.
The stories that follow it are impressive not only for their as- surance Johal is years old but also for their range, covering the experiences of multiple generations of the South Asian community in Southall, West London. Highlights include Be More Roy, an affecting story about parted companions, and the eponymous closer, which packs an emotional but understated punch. Like almost all short story col-
The current pandemic has skimmed the surface of a few recent novels, and with The Red Children set in the near future, it alludes to life after the virus and its effects on the community. With so much cov- ered within the story, this is an im- pressive, thoughtful and meaningful novel, sprinkled with humour and above all full of hope. RHIANON HOLLEY
ILLUSTRATED
TALES OF WALES Mark Rees (Amberley, £14.39)
A welcome addition to the ev- er-growing canon of Welsh myths and legends, Illustrated Tales Of Wales takes a slightly different ap- proach from what the title may im- ply. Mark Rees has painstakingly created a fascinating collection of well-known tales from the dramatic mists of Wales’ past – but his unique approach gives the stories a won- derful relevance, placing the tales into our modern Wales through its superb accompanying images. Given the title, you may expect
In 1968, singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan left London for the Outer Hebrides in a horse-drawn wagon with her partner and dog. Having previously come to the attention of Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, her reasons for leav- ing London could, on the surface, be put down to having had enough of compromising – with the music industry, and with city living. With- in the pages of Wayward, her first memoir, what becomes apparent is that Bunyan’s reasons for wanting to escape run far deeper. The musician’s reections on her travels made their way onto debut LP Just Another Diamond Day, released in 1970 to no fanfare. Bunyan turned her back on music, and three decades later discovered by chance that …Diamond Day had built up a weighty cult follow- ing, leading to new music and a new chapter in her life. Wayward is a deeply personal memoir and travelogue that draws the reader in, who is made to feel like they are with Bunyan, constant- ly rooting for her as well as expe- riencing the same highs and lows. A beautifully written and moving book penned by a gentle soul who has never toed the line – especially admirable in an era when tolerance for outsiders was low. DAVID NOBAKHT
WE MOVE Gurnaik Johal (Serpent’s Tail, £12.99)
The past and the future combine in Maggie Gee’s The Red Children: thought-provoking, with an intriguing
novel begins as a number of unex- pected visitors – the red children – arrive along the beach in Ramsgate, on the English coast. Their arrival
premise. The relevant and 48
sketches or full colour illustrations, but Rees has collected beautiful- ly-shot photographs of the stories’ locations. Each one, taken on seem- ingly the most beautiful day of the year, shares images from Cadair Idris to Castell Coch, Beddgelert to the Black Mountain, in all its con- temporary, beautiful splendour. The tales themselves are told with the same matter-of-fact style particular to folk legends, with some factual context given by Rees as well. The end result is a fantastic, modern guide to stories as treasured as St Melangell, the Lady Of Llyn Y Fan Fach and even the Legends of King Arthur. A great companion to long standing classics such as Gwyn Jones’ Welsh Legends And Folk Tales, but also a superb introduction and guide to the ultimate folk tale
lections, We Move is not perfect. One of the strengths of the writing, its concision, can occasionally be a weakness, with a few of the stories being too slight to leave a lasting impact; Johal also has a habit of writing weak openings, the stories seeming grow in confidence as they progress and gain clarity. Yet over- all, this is an exciting collection from a shining new voice. JOSHUA REES
YINKA, WHERE IS
YOUR HUZBAND? Lizzie Damilola Blackburn (Viking, £14.99)
For those of us still singing along enthusiastically to Beyonce’s Sin- gle Ladies, this wonderfully titled novel will resonate from first page to last. The story of Yinka takes place against a claustrophobic back- ground of intrusive relatives insist- ent she marry soon and a group of friends whose settled, seemingly perfect lives make her own feel in- creasingly lonely and unfulfilled. Yet, in pouring all of her time
In this golden age of the short story, with so many strong writers thriv- ing within the form, it can be dif- ficult to stand out from the crowd, but Gurnaik Johal has managed to achieve just that with his debut collection. The opening story, Ar- rival, brilliantly sets the tone: spare, moving, and wise, it’s little wonder
and energy into finding someone, Yinka comes perilously close to losing herself. Just how much of her personality she is willing to jettison in order to secure a man may leave some readers feeling uncomforta- ble and increasingly exasperated, but that is exactly the point debut author Lizzie Damilola Blackburn wants to make. She tells the story of a woman journeying from crippling insecurity to joyous self-love boldly and – in one standout scene which sees Yinka preaching to the literal choir about the benefits of single- dom – with genuine emotional heft. Set amongst the Nigerian commu- nity in Peckham, the novel gives voice to a criminally underrepre- sented faction of modern Britain. It celebrates its culture whilst not be- ing afraid to tackle the weighty is- sue of assimilation head-on. In both setting and plot, Yinka is a tale that few have heard before, but many will have longed to. RACHEL REES
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