Read of the month

I simply cannot recommend this book enough. Read it. Read it now. Whether you're a connoisseur of mythology, Greek or otherwise, or prefer to merely dip your toe in the world of fantasy this book will sate your appetite. Fickle and capricious gods, daring mortals and creatures beyond belief, this book has it all. Fry's dream is to bring back the joy and warmth of gathering around the hearth; sharing stories within your grasp as you're transported to ancient Greece. Sit back, relax and enjoy the conversational narration offered by one of the country's greatest minds. It might just be…

This debut novel is set to be one of the block-busters of the Summer and already slated for a TV adaptation by the BBC. The high-concept sci-fi world allows Bradley to explore weighty themes of identity, immigration, trauma and human nature. The unnamed narrator, who is of mixed heritage, works for the Ministry of Time, “helping” immigrants brought to the present from various pasts, who are now integrating into modern society. Her loyalty to her government employers is challenged as she becomes closer to her assigned “expat”, Commander Graham Gore (a real historical figure, who disappeared from an Arctic exploration…

A modern masterpiece from one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors, My Brilliant Friend is a rich, intense, and generous-hearted story about two friends, Elena (Lenu) and Lila. The story takes us into a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Naples in the 1950s, into the violence of abuse, power and poverty. The girls rely on each other as a shelter from these hardships and their friendship goes on to bear many secrets and scars and a deep understanding. Elena and Lila have very different personalities; at school Elena is diligent and is encouraged by her teacher to study hard and escape…

I was long anticipating this book coming out in paperback and it easily lived up to my expectations when I read it last month. Miri is glad to have her wife back, after months of separation while Leah was on a deep-sea mission that went catastrophically wrong. But it soon becomes clear that whatever happened to Leah under the sea had a lasting impact, and their home-life is changed forever. The reader sees Miri trying to adapt to these changes, interspersed with flashbacks to Leah’s traumatic journey. This is at once a tense, gradually-unfolding speculative novel about the mysteries and…

I loved this book. It's set in the early stages of WW2 and follows Liesel, a young girl who has lost her family and been placed in a foster home. Narrated by Death, it follows her journey from a child to a young adult in the landscape of Nazi Germany and her relationship with books: a love affair like no other and one that provides her hope, courage and comfort. This book is truly heartbreaking yet hopeful and offers a unique perspective like none I've ever read. I think everyone will love this book, it will make you laugh and…

Published in 1938, this recently re-issued classic is rather wonderful. Set in, what feels like, frontier Florida, the landscape of the novel is vibrant, humming with nature. There are panthers, wolves, bears, snakes, all fighting for survival in a mesmerising, kaleidoscopic, and harsh world. Read with our climate-change angst, it’s impossible not to wince as the characters are forced to bring down another bear or wolf or buck, but we also understand these characters are killing (mostly) for their own survival. The novel’s core is a compassionate account of one family’s struggles, their relationships, and a particular focus on Jody:…

This is one of those rare and wonderful occasions where a book that has been out of print for nearly a hundred years (at least in English; it’s a German translation, but reads so beautifully you would have no idea), suddenly re-appears and you can’t imagine a world without it.

A Lakeland infused mixture of fun and sensitive topics told through some strong female characters.

Reviewed by Al I’ve been lucky enough to have a preview copy of Lee Schofield’s much anticipated lyrical paean to Haweswater, the reservoir, valley and surrounding land that he manages for the RSPB.