August's international fiction highlights

We’re so spoilt for choice – there are plenty of fantastic new local and international releases coming out in August. To help you decide what to choose next, we’ve put a spotlight on some of our most anticipated international releases.


OUT NOW…


Nobber by Oisín Fagan

This unique, experimental take on the Black Death by Irish author Oisín Fagan is not for those offended by graphic language – but for lovers of stylistic and dramatic language use in general? You can’t go wrong. Its use of prose expertly emulates contemporary texts. Nobber is an interesting book; following an ambitious noble travelling the countryside and taking advantage of the plague which has collapsed society to buy up large swathes of property and land, and subsequently coming across Nobber, a tiny town seemingly occupied by only a few bizarre in inhabitants. Read our full review here.


Delayed Rays of a Star by Amanda Lee Koe

This stellar and fierce debut is beautiful exploration of art and womanhood set against the backdrop of the turbulent political events of 20th-century Europe. Delayed Rays of a Star follows the lives of Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong and Leni Riefenstahl – intrinsically linked – as they navigate their lives and where the choices they make along the way will take them.


The End of Time by Gavin Extence

Two brothers stand on a beach in the middle of the night. In life jackets that are too big for them, they’re about to make the perilous swim from Turkey to Europe. But a chance meeting with a man who calls himself Jesus – the Messiah – changes their plans. Only, Jesus doesn’t believe in chance encounters. And, he thinks he has information about the brothers. Information about their futures. Information that will change all three of their lives forever.


Bright by Duanwad Pimwana

This novel by Thai writer Duanwad Pimwana (translated by Mui Poopoksakul) is offbeat, but satisfying, and it’s certainly a beautifully rendered portrayal of an unforgettable young boy’s coming of age. When five-year-old Kampol is abandoned, the community adopts him, and he is raised by various figures in the homes around the run-down apartment building in which he once lived. Bright almost reads like a series of gritty and urban vignettes which are balanced with a folktale-like feel and a charmingly wry sense of humour.


AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR…


Inland by Téa Obreht (Available 13 August)

You may remember Téa Obreht’s name from her Orange Prize-winning debut novel The Tiger’s Wife. Now, Obreht returns with Inland, a mythical and lyrical story of a man searching for a home he can’t find, and a woman bound to a home she can’t leave. Grounded in true history, Inland really showcases Obreht’s talents. Our reviewer called this ‘An evocative and immersive read’. Read her full review here.


The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa (Available 15 August)

On an isolated island, things are disappearing. Ribbon, hat, bird. One by one, they all disappear, and soon, the inhabitants of the island forget they ever existed at all. This is an elegant and thoughtful novel, and an interesting approach to dystopian fiction. Reminiscent in style somewhat of books like The Water Cure (think dreamy, quietly elegant prose), it’s a refreshing take on a familiar genre that our reviewer called ‘an original and compelling piece of literature’. Read the full review here.


Tidelands by Philippa Gregory (Available 20 August)

Historical fiction fans will have to wait until mid-month for the new one from Philippa Gregory, but are sure to be well-rewarded for their troubles. Tidelands is the first instalment in a new series from the author of The Last Tudor exploring the life of a woman named Alinor, suspected of possessing dark secrets in superstitious times – England, 1648. Crouched in a graveyard, waiting for a ghost to free her from her abusive husband, Alinor meets James, a young man on the run. A thrilling novel of a land in the grips of witch mania.


Marilou is Everywhere by Elaine Smith (Available 6 August)

Marilou is Everywhere is narrated by Cindy, a 14-year-old ‘white trash’ teenager who lives in the woods on the edge of town. She’s watching a drama unfold in her hometown – the disappearance of beautiful, intelligent girl. She’s richer than most in those parts – and black. The police are searching for her, but not as hard as they would if she were a white girl. Cindy just happens to have idolised this girl for years. And in the absence of anyone paying attention to her or what she does, she starts to slip into the space that the disappeared girl has left behind…

Cover image for The End of Time

The End of Time

Gavin Extence

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