Dirt Road - James Kelman,
This another of those books - told from a single point of view - that
requires a change of mindset, of mental pace, to read but it was so very
worthwhile for the thought-provoking depths of it. Murdo's struggling to cope
with grief and the adolescent bursting for independence, in America rather than
Scotland (so all the more dislocating) - plus the insight into experiencing the
joys of playing music were impressively told and made for a very satisfying read.
The Lesser Bohemians Eimear McBride
This is more than reading a story. It is the absorption into another's
head, another's life and experiences and so intense, and so throat-aching, it
could only be absorbed in relatively short doses - I needed to stop for a
breather. The writing - "stream of existence
rather than consciousness" - is what sets it above and beyond much writing
of relationships, and sets a new standard for would-be writers about sex and
being with another, about honesty and what happens when one lies.
The Handless Maiden – Vicki Feaver
This contains 'Judith' which blew my breath away and
introduced me to the gut-wrenching, mind-blowing use of words, creation of new imagery
to be enjoyed and enjoyed again and again in Vicki Feaver's poetry,.
A Natural – Ross Raisin
Amazing for more than holding my interest throughout, despite my
considerable scorn for all that is football. This was a weightily
emotion-packed novel, full of well-drawn characters. The sense of doom
inescapable, my involvement total. And yet so much, so many of the turning
points were feather-light.,
Unexploded
– Alison MacLeod
Sense of place and time wonderfully
evoked. The treatment of aliens and prisoners, the suspicions of Brighton's
residents, the inexperienced lack of thought and brutality of those in
authority make this a rich experience. The tension, so gradual and so
pessimistic, and the collision of several dreadful possibilities perfectly
executed. And above all the relationships, the push-pull of marriage, the
betrayals small and large, the compromises, painfully true to life.
The Rules of Backyard Cricket – Jock Serong
The pace of this, the delivery and impact of the telling mimics that of
a bowled cricket ball and, to continue the obvious parallel, hits the wicket
every time. Or the bat, sweet enough to soar, along with the reader's
admiration and heart-broken attention every time. Heartbreaking it is, and you
don't need to know anything about cricket to fully appreciate the skill with
which this tale is told.
London Rules/
Smoke and Whispers – Mick Herron
I really
cannot praise London Rules highly enough. Like all of Mick Herron's Slough
House series the protagonists are an endless source of entertainment, the pace
is lunatic and the observations so incredibly sharp they tingle one's brain.
I came
away from Smoke and Mirrors thonking what a clever brain Sarah Tucker has. As
does her creator. And what a wonderful, exhilarating book this was.
Cairo - Chris
Womersley
Read on a plane in one single sitting, absorbed and admiring
of the way the tale was built to hold so much tension and the insight into the
mind and emotions of Tom Button. Manipulation par excellence
Bone Deep – Sandra Ireland
Very slightly less amazing than 'Beneath the Skin', but nevertheless
un-put-downable and read in virtually one sitting. The writing so lucid, the
tales told with clarity, the tension slow-paced but no less taut and the
brooding sense of place over-arching.
If I Should Die – Matthew Frank
I'm very grateful to the assistant in Glasgow's Argyle Street
Waterstones who recommended Matthew Frank to me then gently insisted I begin
with this rather than 'Between Crosses', which he had on the shelf. More than
lived up to its promise, for characters - physically flawed, war-damaged
trainee detective, anti-bullshit female Caribbean DS, plus more - plot, setting
and 100% enjoyment. An extremely satisfying read.
Blue Night – Simone Buchholz
This was superb - a female character with an initially
off-putting, chick-lit type name, who was one of the most believable and
appealing protagonists I've read in a long time: ballsy but suffers doubts, and
has a strong moral streak. But above all it was the quality of the writing -
and the translation - which shot it up to a five star rating almost from the first
page. Pity it is the tenth in the series but only the first to have been
translated into English
49 of the 175 books read this year were five-star, of which 18 were binge re-reads of previously much-enjoyed books - Peter Temple and Andrew Greig to name but two. Six of the above were new discoveries - long may that keep happening!
