Can ageing be treated? What should children do when they’re feeling worried? Find out in this week’s top picks…
Fiction
1. A Burning by Megha Majumdar is published in hardback by Scribner, priced £14.99 (€16.52). Available January 21st.
Three unforgettable characters, all dreaming of a better future, whose lives are changed for ever when they become caught up in the devastating aftermath of a terrorist attack.
Taut, propulsive and electrifying, #ABurning by @MeghaMaj is out January 21https://t.co/5v7d6lP3TZ pic.twitter.com/e8hhxF1FwZ— Simon & Schuster UK Digital (@simonschusterE) December 20, 2020
What’s the price of ambition? More specifically, what’s its price in a country ruptured by extremism? This question is at the heart of A Burning, the searing debut by Indian novelist Megha Majumdar. Melding political thriller with dreamy bildungsroman, this novel follows three characters in the aftermath of a devastating terror attack. Jivan is a Muslim girl from Kolkata’s slums accused of collaborating with the terrorists.
Lovely is a vivacious intersex hijra who dreams of becoming a Bollywood star. PT Sir is Jivan’s former gym teacher, seduced by a charismatic politician and the elite echelons of society. Slicing between these three perspectives, A Burning offers an unflinching and often harrowing take on corruption and its consequences. Electrifying from the first action-packed page, Majumdar is a talent to watch out for.
8/10
(Review by Katie Jenkins)
2. The Stranger Times by CK McDonnell is published in hardback by Bantam Press, priced £14.99 (ebook £7.99). Available January 14
Coming soon(ish) from @TransworldBooks. Thrilled to be getting my paranormal on in my adopted home town of Manchester. If you'd like a taster of the Stranger Times world, you can get free short stories and join the newsletter here: https://t.co/DFlKFo273x pic.twitter.com/38alnJQ0LK
— Caimh McDonnell (@Caimh) August 5, 2020
This is Irish comedian and author Caimh McDonnell’s new novel, his first writing under the pen name CK McDonnell. It is a darkly comedic sci-fi/crime/fantasy crossover, where The Stranger Times newspaper bridges real-world Manchester with the shadowy supernatural. Alternating between sinister and silly, McDonnell’s writing is intelligently witty. The story lopes along at an easy pace that swiftly immerses you in its bizarre happenings, with a motley crew of loveable eccentrics jostling for fan favourite. After a slow start and a bit of backstory, McDonnell’s fantasy world begins to bloom – and there will doubtless be no limits to where it’ll take us in future.
7/10
(Review by Rebecca Wilcock)
3. The City Of Tears by Kate Mosse is published in hardback by Mantle, priced £20 (ebook £9.99). Available January 19
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel, packed with believable characters and a storyline that maintains the reader’s interest from the first page to the last. Well written and beautifully paced. I absolutely loved it' - Reader Review #TheCityofTears @katemosse pic.twitter.com/Q0lFQ9YqfZ
— Pan Macmillan (@panmacmillan) December 12, 2020
The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, where thousands of Huguenots across France were slaughtered, is the focal point of The City Of Tears. It’s the second instalment of The Burning Chambers series, which plots an action-packed course across the ravaged landscape of the French Wars of Religion, perfect for readers who enjoy Mosse’s sweeping, fast-paced historical epics. We’re back with Minou Joubert and her family, who get caught up in the horrors of the massacre and are forced to seek refuge in Amsterdam. Despite its subject, the thrills never spill over into real horror, although the villainous Vidal – by far the most interesting character, and one who doesn’t appear nearly enough – injects some menace. If you’re looking for an absorbing, undemanding read, this fits the bill nicely.
7/10
(Review by Jackie Kingsley)
Non-fiction
4. Ageless: The New Science Of Getting Older Without Getting Old by Andrew Steele is published in hardback by Bloomsbury, priced £20 (ebook £14). Available now
Presenting cutting-edge research on ageing, computational biologist Andrew Steele explores the ways in which the latest understanding of DNA, mitochondria, stem cells and immune systems are paving the way for a revolution in medicine.#Ageless is out now! https://t.co/0dkDMUXxPz pic.twitter.com/23URCPWFc1
— Bloomsbury UK (@BloomsburyBooks) December 28, 2020
Is ageing a treatable disease? Scientist Andrew Steele suggests it is in this book, putting forward passionate and engaging arguments with witty observations that can be laugh-out-loud funny. However, despite his best attempts to explain complex biological terms and theories, some may find the detail challenging. Arguably Steele’s aim is to provoke more questions than answers; although the book deals specifically with biogerontology (the science of ageing), readers may be left wondering whether social and financial structures could support extended lifespans, and how we would then mitigate the resulting population excess. Nonetheless, it’s an intriguing and thought-provoking read worthy of the difficult subject matter.
7/10
(Review by Nicole Whitton)
Children’s book of the week
5. The Worrying Worries by Rachel Rooney, illustrated by Zehra Hicks, is published in hardback by Andersen Press, priced £12.99 (no ebook). Available January 7
The Worrying Worries follows a young child who catches a worry for a pet. It quickly grows and becomes annoying, unmanageable and interfering, so he visits the Worry Doctor. Rachel Rooney and Zehra Hicks have created an engaging, rhyming story that steers clear of being too prescriptive or overbearing. It helps children understand ways they can control their worries, such as deep breathing, statue standing and thinking happy thoughts. Although the rhymes are easy to read, some could have done with more refining. Perhaps a missed opportunity is making the Worry Doctor feel a bit more real – like a teacher – giving children a clue as to who they can talk to. But as children don’t always talk about their fears, this is a friendly book that will be useful to keep within reach of young hands.
7/10
(Review by Nicole Whitton)
BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 2
HARDBACK (FICTION)
1. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
2. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
3. Troy by Stephen Fry
4. Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
5. The Betrayals by Bridget Collins
6. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
7. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
8. One August Night by Victoria Hislop
9. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan
10. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
(Compiled by Waterstones)
HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)
1. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
2. Women Don’t Owe You Pretty by Florence Given
3. Pinch Of Nom Quick & Easy by Kay Featherstone & Kate Allinson
4. Word Perfect by Susie Dent
5. Cook, Eat, Repeat by Nigella Lawson
6. Ottolenghi Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi & Ixta Belfrage
7. A Life On Our Planet by David Attenborough
8. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
9. A Year At The Chateau by Dick Strawbridge & Angel Strawbridge
10. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
(Compiled by Waterstones)
AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NON-FICTION)
1. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
2. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
3. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
4. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
5. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
6. PG Wodehouse Volume 1 by PG Wodehouse
7. Atomic Habits by James Clear
8. Fire And Blood by George RR Martin
9. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
10. Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle
(Compiled by Audible)
