Page 4 of our reviews
Vocalise by Nuria Rial
Heitor Villa-Lobos dreamt up the imaginative combination of eight cellos and soprano soloist. His famous composition for such an ensemble is Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 – part vocalise and part lamen…
The Shepherd’s Hut by Tim Winton
Jaxie’s dad ‘wasn’t always a c#%t. Like he was probably decent once and you were happy and so was your mum.’ But he is now, or was; he’s dead now and Jaxie Clackton, 16 and desperate, is on the run –…
The Word for Woman is Wilderness by Abi Andrews
Erin, 19, goes on a solo journey across the world to live alone in the Alaskan wilderness à la Christopher McCandless, or Henry David Thoreau. Or Jack London. And Bear Grylls is doing it too … In fac…
Look At Me by Mareike Krugel
Look At Me is Mareike Krügel’s fourth novel, and her first to be translated into English. It opens with Katharina being called in to pick up her daughter, Helli, from school, after Helli suffers from…
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
Originally published in Arabic in 2014, Iraqi author Ahmed Saadawi’s Frankenstein in Baghdad won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. And it does what it says on the packet: it’s about a man-m…
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Get in your horse-drawn carriage and bunker down in your crumbling countryside home for this one, readers – you’re going to need all the time you can get for reading and contemplating your way throug…
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
When Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls hit the shops early in 2017, girls, parents, and educators were excited that an historical imbalance was being rectified; women had actually been doing notable…
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Zélie lives in Orïsha, a mythical version of Nigeria and a kingdom once full of majis – people chosen by the gods to wield the gift of magic. All that remains of that magic now are whispered, impoten…
Five Children and It by E. Nesbit
When five siblings discover a Psammead – an ancient, wish-granting, sand fairy – they think all their dreams have come true. The delightfully grumpy Psammead has eyes like a snail, ears like a bat an…
Grandma Z by Daniel Gray-Barnett
Every year on Albert’s birthday it’s the same thing: birthday socks and birthday toast, no piñatas (too messy) and no musical chairs (too noisy). This year, Albert closes his eyes and makes a wish an…
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