This book of four novellas is about women, about what it is like to be a woman, though sometimes through extreme examples. It is not always a pleasant book. Cardiff, by the Sea shows us the worst, most devastating things about being a woman - as well as the exquisite moments of joy that can… Continue reading Cardiff, by the Sea by Joyce Carol Oates (2020)
Category: Fiction
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (1951)
2003 Virago paperback I first read this in 2014, which seems like a lifetime ago, and decided to re-read it earlier this year when I was fed up with everything I had on my bookshelves. At some point I put it aside, and I left it for so long, I'm not sure why, that I… Continue reading My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (1951)
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, tr. Danusia Stok (1993, 2007)
I have not written a book review in quite a while. My last one was Stet by Diana Athill in July 2019. A month later I had my baby and though I tried to read during feeds or when he was asleep, it just never really happened - I started a couple of books but… Continue reading The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, tr. Danusia Stok (1993, 2007)
Tangerine by Christine Mangan (2018)
Tangerine is one of those novels that got quite a lot of hype when it first came out, and again when it was released in paperback. This usually means that I would avoid it for fear of disappointment/conventionality, but the premise of this one really intrigued me. Ostensibly it's a story about two friends, separated… Continue reading Tangerine by Christine Mangan (2018)
Catching up on reviews…
I don't often do multiple reviews in one post, but, as I mentioned here, I am a bit behind with reviews, including a couple of books I read several months ago, so this time around it's easier to put a few together in one post. Let me know what you think! Little by Edward Carey… Continue reading Catching up on reviews…
The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams (2018)
I think I was initially drawn to this book because of the William Morrow hardback cover on GoodReads - it makes The Summer Wives look like a glamorous and mysterious society tale, which, in a way, it is. But I have to say that when I actually got round to reading it, The Summer Wives… Continue reading The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams (2018)
An update – May 2019
Hello dear readers! As I mentioned in my first post of the year, I'm pregnant and this is taking up pretty much all of my time and energy at the moment, so I've haven't posted since March... but I am going on maternity leave at the end of May so I will have some time… Continue reading An update – May 2019
Shadow winner for The Sunday Times / Peters Fraser + Dunlop Young Writer Of The Year Award, in association with The University of Warwick announced!
As you may have read on Twitter, on the award website, and my fellow shadow panel member's blogs, our winner for the Young Writer of the Year Award has been announced! And the winner is... The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar! I reviewed the book here, and I have to say I… Continue reading Shadow winner for The Sunday Times / Peters Fraser + Dunlop Young Writer Of The Year Award, in association with The University of Warwick announced!
Elmet by Fiona Mozley (2017) – shortlisted for The Sunday Times / Peters Fraser + Dunlop Young Writer Of The Year Award, in association with The University of Warwick
Elmet has been nominated for a lot of awards, most famously the Man Booker Prize in 2017, but I have to admit I hadn't heard of it before it came to me as part of the shortlist for the Young Writer of the Year Award 2018. Once I started reading I wasn't surprised that it… Continue reading Elmet by Fiona Mozley (2017) – shortlisted for The Sunday Times / Peters Fraser + Dunlop Young Writer Of The Year Award, in association with The University of Warwick
The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar (2018) – shortlisted for The Sunday Times / Peters Fraser + Dunlop Young Writer Of The Year Award, in association with The University of Warwick
The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock continues the trend of historical novels that are filled with rich detail, the glamour and grunge of the city, and a vivid cast of characters. This novel also brings in a slightly fantastical element with the mermaid, which I think makes it a bit more original than some other novels… Continue reading The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar (2018) – shortlisted for The Sunday Times / Peters Fraser + Dunlop Young Writer Of The Year Award, in association with The University of Warwick
