Kazuo Ishiguro is back with his first novel since winning the Nobel Prize in literature, and Megan Nolan releases her highly anticipated debut…
Fiction
1. Klara And The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro is published in hardback by Faber & Faber, priced £20 (ebook £8.32). Available now
Klara And The Sun is Kazuo Ishiguro’s first work since being awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, and tells the story of an Artificial Friend called Klara. She watches the behaviour of those on the street outside her store, waiting for a customer to choose her as a companion. When 14-year-old Josie and her mother enter, the manager warns Klara not to put too much faith in humans. The unfolding story is a slow burn, but still thrilling. Fans of Never Let Me Go will be delighted by Ishiguro’s hotly anticipated new offering, which feels like it is set in much the same world. He looks again at cloning and robots, and through the eyes of an outsider, explores to what extent they are human, and what it really means to love. Beautifully written, Klara makes for an insightful narrator and the novel is layered with intrigue. Once again, Ishiguro proves himself a master of storytelling as he delicately unveils this futuristic world, piece by piece. Every sentence feels deliberate, making for a truly absorbing read.
9/10
(Review by Megan Baynes)
2. Acts Of Desperation by Megan Nolan is published in hardback by Jonathan Cape, priced £14.99 (ebook £9.99). Available now
Acts Of Desperation is not an easy read, but it is worth it. It is the intense and painful tale of a 20-something woman living in Dublin, embroiled in a deeply toxic relationship. The chapters are short, but powerful. Megan Nolan’s writing is gorgeously nuanced, there are paragraphs you will want to swim in. The nameless narrator speaks frankly of sex, self-disgust, messy nights out and unrequited love, as she details her time with the beautiful but cold Ciaran. There are hints of Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year Of Rest And Relaxation about it, and it is as compelling as anything by Sally Rooney. A mesmerising debut that is a masterpiece from the opening sentence to the bitter end, and everything in between.
9/10
(Review by Frances Wright)
3. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi is published in hardback by Viking, priced £14.99 (ebook £9.49). Available now
We are so excited to publish the beautiful second novel from Yaa Gyasi this week, #TranscendentKingdom.
There's still time to pre-order! Don't miss out: https://t.co/zvSL55upvE pic.twitter.com/apVQk3uRP4— Viking Books UK (@VikingBooksUK) March 2, 2021
Yaa Gyasi’s stunning debut Homegoing was a sweeping historical look at a multi-generational family; her new book Transcendent Kingdom, zeroes in on two siblings and their mother. Neuroscientist Gifty is a Ghanaian first generation immigrant looking back on her childhood in Alabama, and the opioid addiction that claimed her older brother’s life as a teenager. Now an adult in California, her mother – who became depressed in the years following her brother’s death – has come to visit, and spends her days in silence, lying in bed. This isn’t a plot-driven novel, but is an opportunity to reflect on weighty topics like religion, love and addiction. Beautifully written, it’s a raw look at the personal destruction caused by the opioid crisis. The reality of addiction rarely has moments of levity, but Transcendent Kingdom starts with devastation and continues on in the same manner, and would perhaps benefit from the odd moment of contrast.
8/10
(Review by Prudence Wade)
Non-fiction
4. How To Avoid A Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have And The Breakthroughs We Need by Bill Gates is published in hardback by Allen Lane, priced £20 (ebook £9.99). Available now
A manifesto for action, Bill Gates’ How To Avoid A Climate Disaster breaks down the monumental issue of climate change, and lays out a vision for reaching zero carbon emissions globally. Gates acknowledges his immense wealth and privilege, while expressing that any advances in global warming need to help lift the world’s poorest – the most affected by climate change – out of poverty. Gates manages to take the least glamorous aspects of halting global warming, such as cement production, and create an exciting manual for implementing green policy. However, as a reader it is hard not to feel overwhelmed by Gates’ focus on big picture fixes for large companies and world leaders, and it would have been a relief to see more of what can be done by individuals. The book is a refreshingly straightforward read on the climate crisis – with not only the world’s environment in mind, but its people first and foremost.
8/10
(Review by Emily Chudy)
Children’s book of the week
5. The Dragon And Her Boy by Penny Chrimes is published in paperback by Orion Children’s Books, priced £7.99 (ebook £4.99). Available now
Happy publication day @pennychrimes for #TheDragonAndHerBoy!
When Stick discovers a dragon living underneath the streets of London, it will take a daring plan for him to find a safe place for her – and for himself. pic.twitter.com/Egmv6fP3Jw— HCG Fiction Team (@HCGFictionTeam) February 18, 2021
Penny Chrimes takes us on an adventure exploring freedom, identity, friendship and loss. We’re transported to a London of the past in this coming of age tale, with a playful use of ‘gutterling’ tongue throughout. Homeless and living hand to mouth as a street performer with his fellow gutterlings, Stick begins to investigate some unusual disappearances. He stumbles across a grumpy old dragon, who is stuck underground with a yearning for crumpets and a fear of what comes next. Brave Stick promises to help, but their dark path forces the boy to face the demons of his traumatic past. The book soon becomes difficult to put down, with many colourful characters and a sweet story illustrating the mighty bond between friends. It’s an entertaining read that leaves you hungry for more.
8/10
(Review by Karen Sykes)
BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 6
HARDBACK (FICTION)
1. Klara And The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
2. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
3. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
4. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
5. The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
6. Flappy Entertains by Santa Montefiore
7. Daughters Of Night by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
8. A Court Of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas
9. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
10. Acts Of Desperation by Megan Nolan
(Compiled by Waterstones)
HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)
1. Tap To Tidy by Stacey Solomon
2. Beyond Order by Jordan B Peterson
3. Tales From The Farm By The Yorkshire Shepherdess by Amanda Owen
4. No One Can Change Your Life Except For You by Laura Whitmore
5. One: Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones
6. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
7. The Complete Gardener by Monty Don
8. All Dogs Great And Small by Graeme Hall
9. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
10. Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera
(Compiled by Waterstones)
AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NON-FICTION)
1. Beyond Order by Jordan B Peterson
2. Later by Stephen King
3. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
4. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
5. The Infirmary by LJ Ross
6. Becoming Bulletproof by Evy Poumpouras
7. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
8. Humankind by Rutger Bregman
9. Klara And The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
10. Atomic Habits by James Clear
(Compiled by Audible)
