Reviews

My review of this Booker-shortlisted novel, 20 years in the making.

My review of Wendy Erskine's terrific debut novel.

My review of The Boys, Leo Robson's debut novel.

My review of this tense, Italian, coming-of-age thriller, which is based on a true story.

My review of this mind-bending intellectual feat of a novel.

My review of this luminous novel about children, and women, set in Germany at the end of the Second World War.

My review of this gripping, chilling new Virago Modern Classic.

My review of Tracy Chevalier's wonderful new novel about a glassmaker in Murano.

My review of this brilliant brilliant novel, with multiple narratives and a powerful investigation into inherited trauma and Australia's Stolen Generations.

My review of this exquisite collection of micro-essays by the Scottish Makar.

My review of this impressive state-of-the-nation novel.

My review of this excellent debut novel about teenage girl boxers.

My review of this visceral novella exploring sexual awakening by the acclaimed American-Taiwanese author.

My review of these haunting and powerful short stories by a brilliant Irish writer.

My review of this beautiful slim novel about life on the International Space Station

An introduction to a book club discussion about Charlotte by David Foenkinos translated by Sam Taylor, the extraordinary short life of German-Jewish artist Charlotte Salomon.

My take on the latest random, ingenious musings of Anne Carson.

My review of this startling novel about the advent of phylloxera on the Aeolian island of 'S'.

I loved reviewing this potent collection of short stories. He's the new Graham Greene, and then some ...

My take on this explosive coming-of-age novel set during the Sri Lankan Civil War.

My review of this compelling experimental novel, with a menacing, macabre tone and thrillingly subversive ideas.

My review of this insightful exploration of a woman, whose work conserving a painting reveals something unexpected, while she struggles to come to terms with preserving her fertility.

My review of this enjoyable and provocative novel about the joyfully dis'grace'ful antics of three older women in Tuscany.

My review of this stunningly original, thought-provoking travel memoir and exploration of Native American lore and motherhood.

My review of this haunting exploration of intergenerational trauma.

My review of this striking debut, which explores the interplay between seeing and being seen.

My review of this astonishing novel that moves between Eastern Europe and London in the 1980s, and draws on the Medea myth.

My review of this wild, funny & daring Argentine novel.

My review of the wonderful third volume of Deborah Levy's living autobiography.

I reviewed this hypnotic, emotionally nuanced novel about a diplomat, struggling to resolve his own inner crisis while presiding over peace negotiations.

My review of Evie Wyld's powerful new novel, which centres on male violence to women through the ages.

Climate-change anxiety dominates this brilliant, timely new novel from Jenny Offill.

The book that won the Bad Sex Award - and deservedly so - a shame, as other than all the grim sex stuff, it was great.

My review of these charming fantasy stories from the author of Lolly Willowes.

Short stories that reveal a formidable and yet understated talent from Argentina - her first book to be translated into English. I particularly admired the way that Uhart mingles domesticity with philosophy, and catches the essence of a character in a revealing gesture or thought.

An amazing collection of essays, which prompted, I think, probably one of the best bits of critical writing I've done.

A brutal portrait of innocence corrupted in these explosive short stories about life in Gaza.

My review of Akin by Emma Donoghue of Room fame. I loved the repartee between crusty old Noah and his great-nephew Michael; I still grin when I think about the mishearing betwen "what's your wife?" and "What's your WiFi?" And I think she dealt well with France's complicated WW2 legacy. Perhaps pulling so many disparate threads together - France in the War, drugs in Brooklyn, informing for the Police, old photography and Instagram etc - can feel a tiny bit strained, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt - an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

I enjoyed Jessie Burton's third novel, and I think her writing can be very beautiful, but this time I just wished she'd leave a little more work for her readers, rather than insisting on spelling every thing out.

A beautiful, vivid novel about a girl returned to her birth family. I didn't have the space in the review to mention the amazing depictions of all the food and the cooking!

My take on Deborah Levy's intelligent and supple novel, longlisted for the Booker.

My review of this enthralling little novel, which masquerades as a light summer read, but in fact soon gets very dark indeed. It was first published in Russian, in Paris, 90 years ago - Odoevtseva was one of the exiled White Russians living in Paris in the 20s, where there was such a literary flourishing. It is a fascinating moment of history; thank you Pushkin Press for translating and republishing Odoevtseva alongside Teffi and Gazdanov. Looking forward to reading more from this scene!

I wish I could take credit for the excellent 'Brutish Brits' headline. This is also pretty much the only review I've ever written that has got so many (very angry) comments. Damian Barr's eye-opening debut novel highlights the historical role of the British in creating South Africa's current situation.

My review of this great novel, following the lives of 12 fictional women in Britain. Its prose-poetry hyrbid form is breezily dismissive of convention, and, with it, Evaristo cleverly captures the lilt and intonation of her characters' voices and underlying emotions.

An adventure both gripping and dreamy, by an excellent novelist.

I was really transported to a different world by this accomplished debut; the easy, langorous prose, which covered such a fascinating patch of history and geography made me feel more like I was picking up a 19th-century classic than a contemporary debut by a 27-year-old.

This extraordinary, slim novel is the best thing I've read for a really long time. A strikingly original voice: Jaeggy's prose is ferocious, and bursts from the seams of her short sentences.

A searing history of slavery, and startling interrogation of motherhood - my review of this impressive debut, recently longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction

A dazzling experimental novel about the Mexican Border crisis, longlisted for The Women's Prize.

My review of this haunting novel, which takes the form of an imagined dialogue between a mother and her teenage son, who killed himself.

My thoughts on the punchy, weird, brilliant new collections from Roupenian, Schweblin, Maarouf and Motoya.

My review about this enjoyable and genre-defying novel about a spy/typist during the Second World War.

A sensual, putrid reimagining of the original sin that explores the dynamics between two young women.

A reissued, highly unusual, arresting novel-cum-memoir about life in Italy from 1920s-50s.

A quirky hit novel about a Japanese woman who struggles to fit in.

A powerful ‘nature novel’ that shows the dangers of having too blinkered a point-of-view.

A vital novel about life inside a women’s prison; it went on to make the Booker shortlist.

I adored this experimental, political, personal, energetic all-round-wow debut novel by this talented writer of non-fiction.

Some brilliant new collections of short stories: The Reservoir Tapes by Jon McGregor, Her Body & Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado, Temptation: A User’s Guide by Vesna Main, Letti Park by Judith Herman.

An astonishing memoir of a life in hiding in Occupied France, by a fascinating woman who opened Berlin’s first French-language bookshop.