The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray (June 2023, PenguinUK)
One Irish family's crash amidst a financial one. But they were slow-motion crashing long before their money woes. We meet the whole family chapter by chapter and witness each character's fracturing. Broken thug violence bashes into self-made-wealth. Teenage friendships shatter. Gayness is repressed. Cass, a teenaged girl, opens the story and I was immediately convinced by Paul Murray's portrayal of her innermost thoughts. He's keenly observant and his range of characters reveal it. It's also not all doomed; there's hope on the horizon. Though not selected the 2023 winner by the Booker Prize judges, The Bee Sting has rightly proved itself a people's choice.
Tracey
Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt (2023, Fremantle Press)
This book was put into my hands with a strong recommendation. It's an Australian debut novel, which began with the author's own thesis that explored how non-Aboriginal writers could include Aboriginal people in their writing in a way that avoids misrepresentation and tokenism. The result is a hauntingly beautiful novel that draws you in from the first page, exploring themes of grief, love, truth, memory, secrets and family relationships. It's all firmly grounded in the Australian landscape, with the inclusion and support of the local Noonga people. It was a wonderful read and I was truly moved by the writing.
The Grimmelings, by Rachael King (2024, Allen and Unwin)
NZ novelist Rachael King has delivered a magical fantasy novel for 8-12 year olds and beyond, filled with mysticism, Scottish folklore and language, in a rural New Zealand setting. Words are everything; a boy is cursed then disappears, a kelpie in the shape of a menacing dark horse appears, secrets and relationships are tested. If you love fantasy, books about horses and a gripping story told in beautiful language, this novel is for you!
Tracey
Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt (2023, Fremantle Press)
This book was put into my hands with a strong recommendation. It's an Australian debut novel, which began with the author's own thesis that explored how non-Aboriginal writers could include Aboriginal people in their writing in a way that avoids misrepresentation and tokenism. The result is a hauntingly beautiful novel that draws you in from the first page, exploring themes of grief, love, truth, memory, secrets and family relationships. It's all firmly grounded in the Australian landscape, with the inclusion and support of the local Noonga people. It was a wonderful read and I was truly moved by the writing.
The Grimmelings, by Rachael King (2024, Allen and Unwin)
NZ novelist Rachael King has delivered a magical fantasy novel for 8-12 year olds and beyond, filled with mysticism, Scottish folklore and language, in a rural New Zealand setting. Words are everything; a boy is cursed then disappears, a kelpie in the shape of a menacing dark horse appears, secrets and relationships are tested. If you love fantasy, books about horses and a gripping story told in beautiful language, this novel is for you!
Sisters under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris (2023, Echo Publishing)
The author of several very well-known and successful books beginning with The Tattooist of Auschwitz, this is a new story, set in Singapore in 1942. A group of Australian army nurses flee when the Japanese invade, but their ship sinks and they end up in a series of Japanese POW camps. For anyone who remembers the TV series Tenko many years ago, this certainly has echoes of that. Resilience, hope and courage are all tested as they struggle to survive. Based on a true story, the novel is very well researched and a compelling and accessible read.