From India to Cyprus, these books have a truly global reach…
Fiction
1. Moth by Melody Razak is published in hardback by W&N. Available now
Fourteen-year-old Alma is soon to be married even if she's mostly interested in her wedding shoes. But political unrest is brewing and threatening to unravel the rich tapestry of Delhi...#MOTH is the extraordinary debut novel by @imaginearoad, out now: https://t.co/G4bPqR0yF3 pic.twitter.com/ipT83ER28e
— W&N (@wnbooks) June 28, 2021
Both a heartbreaking and heart-warming story, Melody Razak’s debut transports the reader into the home of a Brahmin family in 1940s Delhi. She navigates their beautiful yet complicated relationships as India builds up to and enters Partition. Bappu and Ma (liberals of the time) teach at Delhi University, and their daughter Alma is due to get married. But the direction of their lives – already torn between modern values and tradition – is soon turned upside down. Razak hones in on the strength and suffering of women; with moments as small as sharing stories, cooking food and plaiting hair becoming lifelines. Empathy is felt even for the more dislikeable Daadee Ma, who despite her distinctness, could be anyone’s grandmother. Moth has a backdrop of religion, politics, class and violence, but the central focus is on family life. The character portrayal is so intricate that as the plot twists and turns, you’ll truly care what happens to them.
9/10
(Review by Hannah Millington)
2. Songbirds by Christy Lefteri is published in hardback by Manilla Press. Available July 8th
Songbirds is out next week, and we are so looking forward to seeing this beautiful novel out in the world @christy_lefteri
You still have time to pre-order your copy, and be in with a chance to win a beautiful gift set! More info: https://t.co/jdTcr1IOQz pic.twitter.com/TaGonFeUcu— Zaffre Books (@ZaffreBooks) June 29, 2021
Inspired by the real life stories of domestic workers in Cyprus, Songbirds examines the prejudices faced by migrants crossing borders in search of a better life. Nisha is a loving mother forced by financial pressures to leave her daughter in Sri Lanka to work as a maid in Nicosia. One night, she disappears. Swapping between the perspectives of her employer Petra and lover Yiannis, the book pieces together her life – its loves, losses and sacrifices. Their search for answers is met by indifferent police, exposing society’s treatment of migrant women. The story deftly explores themes of freedom, motherhood, community and identity. Symbolic descriptions of the island’s landscape and wildlife provide poignant lyrical moments, while the migrant community are sensitively given a voice and the injustices they face uncovered. A moving and important read.
8/10
(Review by Tom Pilgrim)
3. Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce is published in hardback by Picador. Available now
A joyous story of friendship, courage and love, Yours Cheerfully sees aspiring journalist Emmeline Lake at her best when the going gets tough. In this light-hearted sequel to AJ Pearce’s debut Dear Mrs Bird, Emmy takes on the challenge of becoming a wartime advice columnist, and she gets a call from the Ministry of Information to help recruit female workers to the war effort. Emmy makes friends with some factory girls with personal struggles and – with the support of faithful friend Bunty and boyfriend Charles (who is posted in England for now) – has to ultimately decide where her loyalties lie. The story is uplifting in nature, with the Blitz spirit and camaraderie between the characters shining through. The strength of the women is inspiring and can be a lesson to us all during the struggles we’re facing in this pandemic – let’s stick together and help lift each other up as best we can, no matter how hard life might get.
8/10
(Review by Karen Sykes)
Non-fiction
4. Consumed: A Sister’s Story by Arifa Akbar is published in hardback by Sceptre. Available now
Consumed by Arifa Akbar is a tender and moving family memoir about the sister she lost to tuberculosis, art, grief and a globe-spanning account of the disease.
Consumed: A Sister's Story by @Arifa_Akbar is published today in hardback, ebook and audio. pic.twitter.com/KPAbCU40iZ— Sceptre Books (@SceptreBooks) June 10, 2021
Arifa Akbar’s story is one of sisterly love, a family trapped between two cultures, and the repeated misdiagnosis of a deadly disease. Arifa’s older sister Fauzia died a painful and unnecessary death as doctors failed to recognise she was suffering from tuberculosis – otherwise known as consumption. Consumed takes the reader down a journey of the conflicts between two countries, as Arifa’s family relocate from Pakistan to the UK and back more than once. The chief theatre critic for the Guardian, Akbar leans heavily on her work and integrates the story of TB down the ages for her first full-length book, from the suffering heroines of opera and poet Keats’ deathbed, to its resurgence in this country. Published at a time when Britain is reeling from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, this story of sisterly love – and sometimes hate – will resonate with many. A lasting tribute to a beloved sister, it shows sometimes love is not enough.
8/10
(Review by Roddy Brooks)
Children’s book of the week
5. I Spy Island by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet is published in paperback by Simon & Schuster Children’s UK. Available on July 8th
Looking for fun, friendship and sunshine? You're in luck!🏝️
I SPY ISLAND by @suehendra and @PaulLinnet is available to request @NetGalley https://t.co/VJb3rmDkrS pic.twitter.com/8dKxyJWdeB— Simon & Schuster Children's Books (@simonkids_UK) June 29, 2021
Imagine a world where an island and his pals play I Spy. Now imagine a world where a fish has fingers – even stranger, but not if you and your children love the work of Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet. They are the whacky duo behind the bestselling Supertato series and their latest offering, I Spy Island, continues to stretch the imagination. If you have a toddler, imagining Barry The Fish With Fingers and an island with inanimate objects as friends is easy. That is the beauty of the work of Hendra and Linnet; their words and illustrations take you away to a fantasy island where a glove, a bottle, a banana and a bird get up to the craziest fun. Who wants to find out what is in the talking treasure chest? Ask the island and friends, and prepare for the fun.
8/10
(Review by Roddy Brooks)
