Afterthoughts: Dark Lies the Island by Kevin Barry

In a Nutshell: Dark Lies the Island is easily as good as Barry's debut collection There Are Little Kingdoms, and in some respects - mainly in terms of maturity - it's even better. I may have been worried going into this one thinking that I may have … [Read more...]

Afterthoughts: Various Authors

In a Nutshell: I find it difficult to comprehend that this is a debut anthology from a new publisher; a publisher who not so long ago was nothing more than a 'simple' book blogger. Rod Redman has put together a short story anthology here that's … [Read more...]

Forethoughts: Dark Lies the Island by Kevin Barry

*Bounce* *Bounce* *Bounce* *Bounce* *Bounce* Why am I bouncing? Because I'm excited. Why am I excited? Because sitting in front of me is Irish short fiction legend Kevin Barry's latest short story collection, Dark Lies the Island (Jonathan Cape), and … [Read more...]

Afterthoughts: Me and You by Niccolò Ammaniti

In a Nutshell: While this may be the shortest novel that Niccolò Ammaniti has published to date, it's no less powerful than any of his other works of fiction. Containing all of the signature themes that have made Ammaniti the stand out storyteller … [Read more...]

Forethoughts: Me and You by Niccolò Ammaniti

*Please note, I've now posted my afterthoughts for Me and You. It's not every day that I'll leapfrog a new arrival to the top of my review pile (especially while I'm reading as a shadow judge for this year's Independent Foreign Fiction Prize), but … [Read more...]

Afterthoughts: Scenes from Village Life by Amos Oz

In a Nutshell: A wonderfully engaging novel from Amos Oz, which explores to some depth the theme of loss and longing, and the eternal search to find that which cannot be found. If you're not a fan of the short form or the ambiguous novel then it … [Read more...]

Forethoughts: Scenes from Village Life by Amos Oz

*Please note, I've now posted my afterthoughts for Scenes from Village Life. And so I take a first tentative step into this year's Independent Foreign Fiction Prize as a 'shadow judge', by reading one of the shortest books on the longlist, … [Read more...]

Forethoughts: This Isn’t The Sort Of Thing That Happens To Someone Like You by Jon McGregor

Such is the quality of his short fiction writing, that every short story fan's heart fluttered when Jon McGregor's short story collection, This Isn't The Sort Of Thing That Happens To Someone Like You (Bloomsbury) was announced. It's time for mine to … [Read more...]

Forethoughts: Light Lifting by Alexander MacLeod

And so I come to Alexander MacLeod's debut short story collection, Light Lifting (Jonathan Cape), which is published in the UK tomorrow (2nd February). I know I'm currently working my way through a load of short story collections as it is, but I'm so … [Read more...]

Forethoughts: Accabadora by Michela Murgia

Hand's up, who knows what an accabadora is? I'd be impressed if you did know. I didn't, but I soon found out when I picked up my lasted read which uses this word as its title. The meaning of accabadora is revealed in the cover blurb (see below). … [Read more...]