Book Reviews.
A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore
A Spell of Winter tells the story of teenage siblings, Cathy and Rob, living in Edwardian England. Their parents are dead, and they are raised by their grandfather – often mentioned but rarely seen – in a crumbling house somewhere in the English countryside. We follow Cathy as she comes of age, navigates her increasingly fraught relationship with her brother, and decides what she wants from life.
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
If you could access every memory you've ever had and interact with the intimate details of other people's memories, would you want to?
The Candy House presents a Black Mirror-esque concept developed by Bix Boulton, a hot-shot tech entrepreneur. To participate, all you have to do is upload every memory and emotion you ever had or felt into a convenient and sleek "Own Your Unconscious" box. Once your memories are uploaded, you can - of course - further upload your entire consciousness to the "Collective Consciousness," a not-at-all-intrusive program that allows you to access the memories of every other person who has chosen to do the same. If this isn't your choice of brunch cocktail, you could also give up your entire life and go off-grid to become an Eluder.
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
Set in Northern Ireland in 1975, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy is a beautiful novel that weaves a complicated love story amidst the backdrop of the Troubles. Kennedy masterfully portrays the challenges of living a normal life while surrounded by violence and political unrest.
How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee
How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee is a powerful piece of historical fiction that rightfully deserves a place in your TBR pile. Just make sure you actually get around to reading this one!
It weaves the stories of Wang Di, a former 'comfort woman' during the Japanese occupation, and Kevin, a young man combing through his family's history. As their stories criss-cross past and present Singapore, you'll discover a touching narrative about resilience and healing.
Weyward by Emilia Hart
Weyward by Emilia Hart is a fluffy bit of fiction that’s worthy of a place in your beach bag. It weaves the lives of three women over five centuries into one over-arching narrative about the grit of womanhood and the stirring power of Mother Nature.
We start with Kate, who bolts for Weyward Cottage to escape her abusive husband. This cozy, crumbly Cumbrian place comes courtesy of her Great Aunt Violet, a lady she barely remembers. Now, Violet is an interesting bird, more keen on bugs and climbing trees than being the dainty lady society wanted her to be…
When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté
This April, which is Stress Awareness Month, we read When the Body Says No and it’s safe to say it was a fitting choice. In the book, Gabor Maté draws on his years of experience working as a GP in Canada and the many patients he’s seen, alongside a body of evidence from countless studies in the field of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI for short) which back up the anecdotal stories he shares. In very basic terms, PNI is the idea that your psychological state and your immune system are not separate and unrelated, instead the former has a significant impact on the latter. As someone who seems to live in a constant state of stress, emotional upset, and anxiety, my increasing reaction as I got through each chapter was ‘I am so screwed’.
A Girl is a Half-formed Thing by Eimear McBride
A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing tells the story of an unnamed female protagonist living in Ireland with her older brother - whose childhood brain tumour casts a long shadow over the family - and her fanatically religious mother. As she grows up and moves away from home, the girl navigates abuse, sexual assault and the stress of her brother’s failing health; as well as the relentless double-standards imposed on her by both her family and wider society.
The book’s experimental writing style proved to be divisive among book club members. It is written in a stream-of-consciousness, disjointed style with no speech marks and sparse punctuation. It is also distinctly Irish in both its dialect and themes, leading some members to feel that they were missing out on important context.
The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart
A serial killer with an interest in medical experimentation, a badass forensic pathologist trying to stop him, all set against the backdrop of New Orleans – The Butcher and the Wren sounded like the perfect choice for spooky season at Brunch Book Club!
Renowned storyteller and Morbid podcast co-host, Alaina Urquhart further develops her world-building and storytelling skills in this debut novel, showing off her extensive knowledge of serial killers and forensic science.
Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
If you are a gender studies or sexuality studies major or perhaps you've spent years exploring your sexuality in a safe and open environment, this is likely going to be a refresher with some cool science facts thrown in. But for the rest of us... this is a jaw-dropping, science-based unveiling of understanding women's sexuality.
Come As You Are has one critical message, in my opinion, and that is "We are all the same. We are all different. We are all normal." Emily Nagoski spends time breaking down the science of sex and sexuality, particularly biology and anatomy and how they come together, as well as our brains and how they work…
Nevada by Imogen Binnie
Nevada was first published nearly ten years ago in 2013, but it is only the tech, the slang, and some aspects of the drug-fuelled punk aesthetic that seem to have aged. As a novel narrated by a trans woman (Maria), its take on relationships and the long process of figuring out your sense of self still feels fresh and important today.
The book largely manages to steer clear of cliché and many have praised Binnie for writing a trans novel that finally ‘gets it’. Here, we have a story that focuses on trans experience, but that isn’t about a character’s transition; a depiction of a trans mentorship/parenting scenario that feels realistically awkward and unrehearsed; and a road trip without the classic American resolution.
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
Peach Blossom Spring starts in 1938 China, when Meilin and her four-year-old son Renshu are forced to flee their home, as war promises to devastate everything they have known. With little money but a beautiful, illustrated scroll, they escape the country and find a new home in Taiwan. Years later, Renshu is offered a place at an American university, where he becomes Henry and refuses to talk about his past.
The book covers decades of Meilin’s and Renshu’s lives, as they grow apart due to the distance that separates them and Henry’s refusal to acknowledge or talk about his past…
Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia
Of Women and Salt tells the tale of the lives of five generations of Cuban women, jumping from present-day Miami to 19th century cigar factories in Cuba, as well as the story of a mother and daughter who have to deal with ICE detention centres. The lives of all these women are interconnected, and through their relationships and circumstances, the author discusses issues of immigration, motherhood, mother-daughter relationships, sexual violence, substance abuse and more…
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
I have mixed feelings about this novel, but I closed the book with an ache. With a sense that no matter what decisions or paths the characters took, hearts would be broken, lives changed, and relationships forever altered. There’s no easy path, no right way. This book embodied the messiness that is life. I’m also very aware that this book was not written for me and that the characters and the intended audience speak a language that I am not fluent in so it’s likely that what I didn’t love about the book comes from a lack of understanding from not having lived and experienced life in that way…
When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson
A story about friendship, loyalty, family, and freedom set in Baghdad. The characters felt alive and real. Despite the differences in my own background and upbringing, the author brought these characters to life. I found myself transported to another world. The busy and chaotic markets, the smells of the food and spiced air, the call to prayer. I enjoyed the descriptive scene setting.
The three characters have so much depth. The stories of Huda, Raina, and Ally intersect so beautifully. The hardworking woman, originally from the local village, who has lost her brothers and her closest friend and is forced to become an informant in order to protect her son. The struggling aristocrat who floats in upper circles and the art world while trying to pay the bills and keep her daughter safe…
Big Girl Small Town by Michelle Gallen
Warning: if you read this book you are almost certainly going to want, nay NEED to eat a bag of salty, vinegary chips! You have been warned!
Majella, an autistic woman from Northern Ireland lives with her alcoholic (and abusive) mother and works at the local fish and chips shop. Spanning the week after the murder of her grandmother, we read in minute detail Majella’s mundane and monotonous life. The writing is broken up with timestamps and items from Majella’s list of things she likes and the much longer list of things she doesn’t…