Review: ‘The Marvels’ – Brian Selznick 2015
My rating: 5 of 5 stars A moving and magical tale that seamlessly blends illustration and text. A story about family, identity, history and myth-making. The Mar...
Review: ‘Everything I Never Told You’ – Celeste Ng 2014
3.5 stars. A layered novel about all the secret lives families lead when they can’t or won’t communicate. The story focuses on a Chinese-American fa...
Review: ‘The City of Woven Streets’ – Emmi Itäranta 2015
My rating: 5 of 5 stars An enchanting tale of love and resistance. Unexpectedly tender and heartfelt, the story swept me away. Itaranta has crafted a world of i...
Review: ‘The Magician of Lublin’ – Isaac Bashevis Singer 1959
My rating: 4 of 5 stars A cautionary tale about the dangers of believing yourself to be beyond reproach. The Magician of Lublin is an interesting blend of timel...
Review: ‘Snow Blind’ – Ragnar Jónasson 2010
My rating: 4 of 5 stars A claustrophobic ‘closed room’ murder mystery set in the far North of Iceland permeated with feelings of loneliness and isolation. First...
Review: ‘Reading in the Dark’ – Seamus Deane 1996
My rating: 4 of 5 stars Haunting tale of a family twisted by secrets and a society in conflict with itself. Set in Ireland in the 1940s and 50s Reading in the D...
Review: ‘A Man Called Ove’ – Fredrik Backman 2012
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Deeply touching novel about love, grief, and a neighbourhood that warmed the heart of a grumpy old man. I can’t think back on this story...
Review: ‘Anansi Boys’ – Neil Gaiman 2005
My rating: 4.5 stars. A dark and humorous novel about the things we settle for in pursuit of a ‘comfortable’ life and the chaos that can invite itself into our ...
Review: ‘A Christmas Carol’ – Charles Dickens 18143
My rating: 4 of 5 stars A cautionary tale of greed and selfishness, and their opposites in generosity and humility. Such a perfect story to read in the lead up ...
Review: ‘The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding’ – Agatha Christie 1960
3.5 stars. A fun collection of crime mysteries solved by Hercule Poirot, with a bonus one solved by Miss Marple. Sadly only one story in the collection of 6 is ...