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: Me and You by Niccolò Ammaniti
March 21, 2012 By 3 Comments
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...]
Afterthoughts: Scenes from Village Life by Amos Oz
March 19, 2012 By 10 Comments
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...]
Afterthoughts: Atlas of Remote Islands by Judith Schalansky
August 13, 2011 By 1 Comment
In a Nutshell: Finally, a coffee table book that's worth its weight in gold. Well written and beautifully presented, Atlas of Remote Islands is a perfect companion for anyone wishing to escape their dreary surroundings to indulge in a spot of remote … [Read more...]
Afterthoughts: The Birth Machine by Elizabeth Baines
June 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment
In a Nutshell: A good novel but one, due to the subject matter, that is probably best appreciated by a female audience. Some willpower is needed to stick both with the complexity of an ever increasingly abstract narrative, and a ceaseless bombardment … [Read more...]
Afterthoughts: Earth and Ashes by Atiq Rahimi
September 16, 2010 By 6 Comments
In a Nutshell: Don’t let the small size of this novel put you off. Atiq Rahimi packs an awful lot of story into a small space, and he does so with much elegance and poise. As far from a ‘feel good’ novel as you’re likely to get, Earth and … [Read more...]