Five new books to read this week
By Prudence Wade, Press Association
Booker Prize-winning author Douglas Stuart is back with his latest novel…
1. John Of John by Douglas Stuart is published in hardback by Picador. Available now
He proved it with his debut novel Shuggie Bain, but Douglas Stewart’s third novel is not only as exceptional, as beautifully detailed and so full of a place that you feel as though you are physically there, its characters also stick to you without being quite so harrowing and doom-stricken. The result is a story and a cast you want to handle carefully and cherish. Cal is summoned back to the remote, Calvinist Scottish island he grew up on by his father, John, a severe sheep farmer and weaver who clings to scripture while railing against his mother-in-law, the rascally Ella. In their falling down Croft, the three of them circle each other, nursing cavernous failings and the secrets they won’t release. They punish one another, while loving Cal fiercely, as island life and their neighbours’ petty concerns and expectations fill in the cracks. The writing is stunning, the setting spectacular, the grief at missed chances, brutal. A brilliant, powerful, lasting book.9/10(Review by Ella Walker)
2. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett is published in hardback by Fig Tree. Available now
It’s been 17 years since Kathryn Stockett burst onto the literary scene with her debut novel The Help. It should go without saying how much of a smash hit it was – and continues to be – even being made into a critically acclaimed film in 2011. The Calamity Club is Stockett’s much-anticipated second novel, and having been so long in the making, it certainly has excitement levels building. Set in Oxford, Mississippi in 1933, it charts the stories of three female characters as they find their own way through Depression-era hardships. We start with 11-year-old orphan Meg, one of the ‘unadoptable’ girls at Lafayette County Orphan Asylum. When she meets Birdie, a young woman who is trying to remind her socialite sister of the hard times she left behind, Meg thinks she has finally met someone who might care about her future as much as she does. Birdie, however, is realising that not everything is as it seems with her well-to-do sister, and when she meets feisty Charlie, their unexpected friendship leads to a bold and audacious plan. Stockett is back with a bang with this touching, poignant and very funny tale of sisterhood, strength and love. Well worth the 17 year wait.9/10(Review by Rachel Howard)
3. The Lowe Job by Grace Alexander is published in hardback by Orion. Available now
The Lowe Job follows Lydia Lowe and her four daughters: Lili, Stevie, Iris and Katie as their lives get thrown into an unexpected turmoil. The chaos begins when Lili is caught in a relationship with her boss – also a married politician, instantly placing the family under intense public scrutiny. But rather than retreating from the spotlight and trying to hide in the shadows, Lydia, a former talent agent, takes the reins of her daughter’s situation and puts her further in the public eye. As the fallout unfolds, the book also delves into the lives of the other three daughters, all of whom have their own stories, love lives, worries and personal struggles while navigating the media storm surrounding their family. At its heart, the book is about perception, reinvention and the complicated dynamics of family life. It explores how quickly public opinion can shift, while also capturing the messiness, loyalty and resilience that comes with sisterhood.8/10(Review by Sara Keenan)
4. The Secrets Of Our DNA: How Genetics Has Changed The World by Professor Turi King is published in hardback by Doubleday. Available May 28th
In illustrating how our understanding of DNA has developed over the last few decades, Professor Turi King shows us how a once-fringe area of scientific research has helped solve murders, reunite families and protect endangered species. She is a wonderful storyteller who does an admirable job of explaining a scientific process that can be difficult to follow, while feeding your imagination in a way that leaves you with more questions. The book is most interesting when she describes the use of DNA in solving crimes, its limitations, and the ethics around certain types of research such as cloning. It might have been useful to read more about the genetic influence on behaviour, animals’ survival instinct for example, but also of our own illogical quirks. Overall, it is an illuminating read.8/10(Review by Danny Halpin)
5. Maudie And Chip: The Perfect Day Out by Rosalind Beardshaw is published in paperback by Farshore. Available June 4th
Illustrator Rosalind Beardshaw, creator of the popular When A Dragon Comes To Stay series, introduces a quaint new picture book that celebrates friendship, difference and adventure. Maudie and her canine companion Chip have planned the perfect outing – they set off for a day of sun, sea, candyfloss and sunsets, but unfortunately things don’t always go as expected. Chip doesn’t mind the spontaneity, but Maudie finds the unpredictable weather – and a flock of squawking, hungry seagulls – unsettling. Can the friends navigate the day together to still find fun in the end? Beardshaw’s striking, traditional-inspired illustrations bring warmth and charm to this gentle story of companionship, and an unexpected ending keeps the tried-and-tested story of friendship feeling fresh. Readers will no doubt hope for more adventures from the appealing duo in the future.8/10(Review by Holly Cowell)
BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 23rd
HARDBACK (FICTION)1. The Ballad Of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker2. The Midnight Train by Matt Haig3. John Of John by Douglas Stuart4. Enough by Dawn French5. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke6. Before I Knew I Loved You by Toshikazu Kawaguchi7. The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout8. The Tapestry Of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty9. I Hear A New World by Alan Moore10. Ironwood by Michael Connelly(Compiled by Waterstones)
HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)1. BBQ by Jamie Oliver2. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe3. The Book Of Birds by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris4. So Good Express by Emily English5. Lion Heart by Cam Whitnall6. Game Changer by Ellie Kildunne7. Blitz by John Nichol8. The Kitchen Book by Ella Risbridger9. Famesick by Lena Dunham10. Weimar by Katja Hoyer(Compiled by Waterstones)
AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NONFICTION)1. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling2. The Deal by Elle Kennedy3. Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling4. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir5. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke6. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling7. A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman8. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe9. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets by J.K. Rowling10. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix by J.K. Rowling(Compiled by Audible)