Women Pioneers of the Arts and Crafts Movement by Karen Livingstone

Reviewed by Jen

“I’m a remarkable woman – always was, though none of you seemed to think so.” May Morris

This beautiful book goes some way to bring to the foreground the accomplishments and contributions of women to the Arts and Crafts Movement 1880 – 1914. Often not recognised, these women were defying societal norms and were, to some extent, exemplifying feminist resistance. Some names will be more familiar than others but Livingstone highlights 29 women: Detailing their stories, including examples of their own particular work, uncovering photographs and putting their own words in context. 

As traditional processes and craft techniques are resurgent in the 21st century, this book is a fascinating insight into these remarkable women.

Flesh by David Szalay

Reviewed by Jen 

Szalay’s prose is spare and disciplined and a melancholy pervades this novel as a result.There is a distance that is kept when reading of Istvan’s life – a rags to riches story from lonely teen to resigned middle age, from poverty in 1980’s Hungary to the London life of the super-rich.  

Istvan is remote, emotionally detached and most often monosyllabic. Life is “okay” , he acquiesces “okay” , he agrees “yeah”. Life happens around this phlegmatic character as he is buffeted by events seemingly beyond his control. Crucially, key dramatic moments in Istvan’s life occur off page, between chapters, leaving the reader to imagine emotion and reaction and the darkest of thoughts. Time slips past without acknowledgement; one more thing Istvan has no control over. However, Istvan is a man of flesh and blood and he does give in to the pull of violence and sex. 

This is more than a book about masculinity, it is a novel exploring what it is to live a life. 

You may not actively enjoy this novel but it is an immersive and provocative read.

The Names by Florence Knapp

Reviewed by Jen

Ever wondered if you would still be you if you had been given a different name? What are the implications of carrying an inherited name or the associations of what you are called? Knapp meditates on this idea in her richly imagined, deeply moving and life affirming debut novel.

Three alternate and alternating narratives spanning 35 years explore the enduring and redemptive power of love, family, fate and freewill. Conceptually clever, the story of Cora and her family is set against the backdrop of domestic abuse but is sensitively written and ultimately full of heart and hope. You will weep as your heart is broken and then reflect on the small moments in life and the ripple effects they create. 

Read this – it is very special.

Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks

Reviewed by Jen

A modulated howl into the void of loss, Brooks writes in the dead space of the sudden death of her husband, the renowned writer Tony Horwitz, at just 60 years of age.

The narrative oscillates between the immediacy of Horwitz’s death in 2019 and Brooks’ “memorial days” 3 years later;  between Washington DC & Martha’s Vineyard and remote Flinders Island, Australia. 

Brooks writes as an un-maudlin self-observer in a spare and lean fashion offering an insight into our own frailty. So personal it’s sometimes difficult to read. This book is never-the-less transfixing not just for people facing their own grief but for anyone who loves and cares for a grieving person.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

Reviewed by Jen

Three plots intertwine in these “Three Days In June”:

. A Wedding

. A cat needing a new home

. Infidelity and reconciliation

Gail Barnes lacks people skills and is somewhat “right angled” yet, despite her awkwardness and bluntness, she was a character I was immediately drawn to. Following Gail’s ups and downs and living her homey, unspectacular, normal life with her over these three days, I was enveloped in the warmth and truth of this quiet drama; rooting for her, Max, her ex-husband, and the cat.

Tyler, as ever, writes with wit and great attention to the mundanity of family life and relationships and turns it into literary gold.

Don’t wait til June to read this…it’s a delight!

The Turning of our Bones by Ed James

Reviewed by Jen

There’s a new Detective Inspector in town – have you passed DI Rob Marshall on the streets of Melrose or up on the Leaderfoot Viaduct?!

James has created a troubled and gritty lead character in this absorbing police procedural. Marshall is a profiler turned detective with a case that brings him reluctantly back to his home turf of Melrose and the Scottish Borders.

Following the narrative from the viewpoints of different characters, the reader joins Marshall in a page turning race against time to prevent the death of a kidnapped victim. Along the way, Marshall’s past unravels and his vulnerabilities surface. 

There is joy in recognising our local environment in this compelling thriller, in the well drawn characters, twists and turns, AND in knowing that there are 6 more books in the series to devour!

Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

Reviewed by Jen 

This acclaimed debut deftly combines historical fiction, science fiction, romance and spy thriller elements. 

In the near future a secretive government time-travel project unravels past and future.

An uneasy romance develops between Bradley’s 21st century unnamed civil servant protagonist, the “bridge”, and  Arctic explorer Commander Graham Gore who has been hauled into the 21st century from 1847. Prepare also to meet a vivid cast of supporting characters from past and present.  

Both humorous and unsettling, Bradley has a keen eye for the absurdities of modern day life as seen through the eyes of those pulled from past centuries.  Touching on topics such as climate change, racial discrimination and moral ethics you will question the nature of time and the consequences of individual and collective decision making. This might sound rather heavy but this is a novel that will touch your heart and cause you to pause and think on it long after you’ve put it down.

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Reviewed by Jen

Right from the start of this novel from the author of Fleishman is in Trouble you know you’re in for a “terrible ending” so why keep reading…?  

The dark humour offsets the challenging and luckless characters and the full-on rollercoaster of devastation fairly pulls you along. This is a novel of excess: too much money, too much self indulgence, too much selfishness, all written with exuberance and an eye for detail.

…and, yes, there is a terrible ending, just not the one you might be expecting or hoping for. “But what are you going to do?”

Our booksellers love to recommend books and share their favourite reads with other booklovers (it is their job but also their hobby). Our blog is a good place to start to find some recommendations but if you still need some help, simply pop into the shop, give us a call or shoot us an email.

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