What we're reading: Hadley, Yan & Karber
Each week our wonderful staff share the books and music that they've been enjoying.
Joanna Di Mattia is enjoying various books by Tessa Hadley
I’ve decided to binge-read Tessa Hadley. It wasn’t a conscious decision, it’s just that I read one of her novels – The Master Bedroom – and loved it so much I had to keep going and before I knew it, I had inhaled both Late in the Day and her debut Accidents in the Home. Each of them is brilliant in their own way, but what unites them is what is true of all Hadley’s work – the way they perfectly render the everyday dramas of imperfect people. I’m having a little break now to read a few other things but will return soon to the four or five Hadley’s still waiting for me. If you haven’t made room for her smart, subtle fiction in your ‘to be read’ pile yet, can I recommend that you clear some space.
Tracy Hwang is reading Elsewhere by Yan Ge
Yan Ge is one of my favourite recent author discoveries. This collection soars confidently across centuries and continents, from 11th century China to modern day Ireland, with prose that gives off both gentle grace and abject terror. It also contains some of the most accurate observations I've ever encountered of being part of the Chinese diaspora. Highly recommended for fans of Yiyun Li.
Dani Solomon is reading Murdle by G.T. Karber
I am awful at logic grid puzzles. At least I was until I gave into the almost machoistic desire to inflict an entire novel sized book of them on myself by purchasing Murdle. And it paid off... at about the 3/4 mark of the book I realised I was feeling disgustingly smug with myself as I worked through the book. Then I got to the last quarter (the 4 star difficulty puzzles) and friends... I was humbled. So now I'm back to slogging it out, but feeling pleased to find each one getting a just little easier.
Murdle is a uinque little puzzle book. Each puzzle is proceeded by a short paragraph - a part of a larger story - describing the crime as found by Deductive Logico as he works his way through a distressingly high body count. In case you couldn't tell by the name Deductive Logico, the story in no way expects to be taken seriously but I found myself weirdly invested in it nonetheless! Murdle has all the excitement of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, all the self awareness of a Lemony Snicket novel, and all the brainburning fun of your grandmas endless supply of puzzle magazines. Murdle's puzzles are short and can usually be done in about 10 mins or so (unless you're me and onto the hard ones!) making them a perfect mothers day gift.