River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure

I was instantly drawn into this story of Alva, a teenager living in Shanghai in 2007 whose American mother Sloan marries a successful Chinese businessman named Lu Fang. For many years Alva and Sloan have lived hand to mouth. They've been less mother/daughter and more a team trying to survive – a relationship emphasized by how Sloan refers to Alva as “partner”. So this marriage prospect finally affords them some stability, but Alva disapproves of Lu Fang. She assumes Sloan is marrying out of convenience and Alva also resents being tied to Asia. She's lived there her whole life and knows nothing of her biological Chinese father as her mother simply describes him as “an unnamed squirt of sperm”, but she aspires to live in America and reveres Western culture. Alva frequently watches illegal dvd copies of American films and scrutinizes the landscape of US neighbourhoods on digital maps. She increasingly rebels against her parents and her public education in her determination to fully inhabit the Western side of her identity.

But that's just half the story. The narrative alternates between Alva's coming of age tale and an account of Lu Fang's troubled life. His story begins in China in the 1980s as he's trying to establish a family and a business amidst the country's economic boom. Though he's haunted by the difficulty of his early life, the horrors of his country's past and those who continue to propagate Mao's propaganda, he reasons “Maybe amnesia was the only way to go on in the new China.” Lu Fang longs for more than the circumstances he's born into and also partially falls for the lure of a Western lifestyle. However, both Alva and Lu Fang discover that cultural imperialism and racial prejudice run deep. An unlikely connection is formed in their joint alienation and the mystery of Sloan's past is gradually revealed. It's moving how this novel depicts each character's transformative journey and the way these conflicted individuals build a new form of family.

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

During the late 1970s a serial killer dubbed by the press as the Yorkshire Ripper was at large for years before finally being caught and identified as Peter Sutcliffe in 1981. This created an atmosphere of fear and suspicion in the area, especially amongst women who obviously didn't feel safe and that the killer could be living next door. Godfrey begins her debut novel with the surprising fact that her father knew Sutcliffe and the shock of this discovery is one of her most vivid memories. This adds an immediate emotional charge to the story of inquisitive 12 year-old protagonist Miv who resides in a Yorkshire community when the novel opens in 1979. Her father raises the possibility that they may move south which sends Miv into a panic that she'll have to leave her best friend Sharon. She reasons that if the killer is identified they won't have to move. Inspired by a favourite Enid Blyton adventure series, Miv and Sharon embark on a mission to make a list of suspects and slyly investigate them. This makes them aware that there are many more troublesome issues and unspoken crimes occurring in their community – even in Miv's own home because for some time her mother has been comatose and won't speak. There's a building dramatic tension as more mysteries are presented, but it's also a tender coming of age story that becomes increasingly emotional as it unfolds. Ultimately, there are many more twists and surprises than the discovery of the killer.

Part of the great joy of this book is its immersive atmosphere depicting the late 70s in Northern England as seen through an adolescent perspective. There's the heady smell of a delicious ginger cake named parkin and the pleasure of getting cans of dandelion and burdock from the corner shop. However, there's also an awareness of unemployment caused by the closure of local industries and the imposing presence of newly elected Margaret Thatcher. Though there is certainly a lot to criticise about Thatcher, one of the main focal points at the time as Britain's first female Prime Minister was the fact of her womanhood. It's apt that this novel opens with Miv's highly opinionated aunt saying that power hardens women and putting “a woman in charge of the country just isn't right.” This sets the tone for the kind of sexism which was so pervasive at the time and which cast a shadow over the investigation of the murders because Sutcliffe's initial targets were female prostitutes. The effects of this can be seen in many ways through attitudes and conversations depicted in the novel, but also how people turned a blind eye to domestic violence and pervy men inappropriately touching young girls. The insidious effects of larger concerns such as racism and mental health issues are also meaningful portrayed in the interactions Miv has with many people.

Godfrey creates a clever structure to humanize these matters in the lives of her characters. As Miv adds more and more suspect people to her list the narrative briefly switches to different individual perspectives. It's charming to get these outside points of view on diligent Miv making her not so subtle inquiries. It also depicts the emotional turmoil and fear gripping these people's lives from the inside. Though this device succeeds in presenting multiple perspectives and a deeper understanding of the issues at stake, it sometimes deals too briefly with certain characters. I wish it had lingered longer with some stories to better appreciate their full complexity. But overall it's an effective way of invoking the connections and drama of a community. Some of the most poignant interactions are between the adolescents themselves – especially Sharon's budding romance with Ishtiaq, a motherless boy with Pakistani heritage who is the target of almost daily racist attacks. The precious friendship between Miv and Sharon is also beautifully presented. It becomes strained as their innocent detective project turns increasingly serious. Godfrey is skilled at showing the all-consuming turmoil which can overwhelm young people leading to horrendous violence. There are many engrossing revelations in this novel and the climax is utterly thrilling. It's a big-hearted book filled with life and personality.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

I've greatly enjoyed some of Ann Patchett's previous books such as “State of Wonder” and “The Dutch House”. She's won awards and maintains a lovely social media presence promoting books she's enjoyed reading through her Nashville bookstore Pernassus Books. Her latest novel “Tom Lake” has come with critical acclaim and the audiobook has the distinction of being read by Meryl Streep. However, my anticipation for the book was dampened when some readers told me how bland and cozy they found this novel. But I plunged into reading it and was pleasantly surprised to find myself falling for it. It's a story of quiet reflection, the pleasures of family life and how love develops different meanings as we mature.

I think part of the reason why this novel resonated so much with me is timing; it's the right book for me to read now. The main character and narrator is Lara who lives with her husband Joe on a Michigan cherry farm that's been in his family for generations. As the recent pandemic spreads across America their three daughters who are all in their 20s come to shelter with them and assist in the big job of bringing in the cherry harvest. While living together in isolation the daughters demand to know Lara's story about dating an actor named Peter Duke when she was younger. He wasn't famous at the time but he went on to become a big celebrity.

While in this state of lockdown limbo, Lara recounts her experiences in the 1980s becoming a promising young actress herself as well as her heated romance with Duke. They meet while performing in a Summer stock production of 'Our Town' at a location called Tom Lake. The question of why she didn't continue to pursue acting or her relationship with this rising star isn't simple wistful thinking about the road not taken. It's a confrontation with the past where revisiting it from a more mature point of view leads to realisations about what was really at stake and Lara's difficult process of growing into herself. Relating the story to her daughters and husband also requires selecting what to tell and what to leave out – not so much to conceal the truth but to preserve a tender part of her life.

I've seen criticism of this novel from readers bored by a lack of conflict and dramatic plot which is understandable and fair because it's not a showy book. There are certainly twists and revelations and part of the pleasure of this is when Lara realises the truth about something she didn't see at the time. Sometimes we can think back on the past or receive new information and suddenly there's clarity where there was once complete confusion. However, I also think there's a lot on the line for Lara even though she's genuinely content. She dearly loves her family, dog and life on the farm. So it's easy to think of this novel as just cozy fiction. But raking over the past forces her to consider how her story has been shaped by forces beyond her control as well as crucial decisions she's made. There's the very real risk of getting lost in longing.

Part of the pleasure I found in this novel is that it's so much about acting. I used to love acting and there's a lot of great scenes portraying the chaos and camaraderie of putting on a production. Also Patchett shows how the process of performing a character isn't just the portrayal of a role. It reveals different aspects of a person's personality. It can be like a stepping stone towards living more authentically and it's a process of becoming. Yes, it's a profession but it's also a more flamboyant example of how we all adopt personas to meet challenges and new developments in life. By inhabiting the role of Emily Webb in 'Our Town' that character becomes like a companion to Lara and someone she can play off from in the process of discovering what she truly wants. This novel is also a homage to 'Our Town' and if you know the play there will undoubtably be a lot of pleasure in the way Patchett incorporates it into the story. Personally, I've never read it or seen a production of Wilder's play though I'm aware of its plot and its place as a canonical piece of American theatre. So I don't think it's necessary to know the play to appreciate this book.

The main thing I loved about this novel is how it shows the way we shape the stories of our lives. And it doesn't resort to scandals and high drama to do that. In a way it feels more daring to portray contentment and the good fortune of achieving what one really desires rather than presenting anguish in one's lot in life. Ann Patchett is a very famous author and this book is very successful so it doesn't need defending from me. I can understand why it won't entertain or resonate with every reader, but I found it a very moving experience.

Women's Prize for Non-Fiction Longlist 2024

I've followed The Women's Prize for Fiction for many years and found many great books through it. So it's quite exciting that they've just launched a sister award for Non-Fiction. In the past couple of years I've tried to incorporate more non-fiction into my reading. So it's wonderful to be presented with a range of titles about subjects as diverse as science, history, memoir, technology, literary biography, health, linguistics, investigative journalism, art history, activism, travel-writing and economics. Many are specialists in their fields who are publishing for a general readership for the first time. There are authors from Britain, America, Jamaica, Canada, Australia, India and the Philippines. I've only read one of these books thus far so I'm looking forward to exploring others.

Recently I read Naomi Klein's excellent “Doppelganger” which begins as a personal story about how Klein has often been confused online for the public figure Naomi Wolf for the simple reason they share a first name and hair colour. Both also often write about power structures – however, they come to very different conclusions. Wolf has recently led her listeners down paths of conspiracy theories and Klein has often received negative messages intended for Wolf. I can sympathize with how alarming this online confusion can be when several years ago I started receiving angry messages out of nowhere. Another man named Eric Anderson who is also a gay writer who is American and lives in England posted an article about why he believes men are naturally polygamous. In response, I started receiving furious messages from wives who accused me of trying to justify their husbands cheating. I was baffled at first until I tracked down the reason for this outcry. Klein broadens her confessions about her personal experience to a wider discussion about the literary and symbolic traditions of doubles.

However, she also uses her ideological divide between her and Wolf to contemplate the way we've become such a divided society. This has been exasperated by online culture and the crisis of the recent pandemic. It's really interesting how she traces the way people can quickly fall down conspiracy theory rabbit holes and how this can lead to sharply drawn political camps which are difficult to traverse. In this way, Klein gets at some of the most heated arguments in our culture today. She approaches this with great reason, thought and humour. “Doppelganger” has also been listed for The Writers' Prize alongside “Thunderclap” by Laura Cumming. I'm greatly looking forward to reading this other title which is a history of a deadly explosion and art. I've also been eager to read Anna Funder's book about Eileen O'Shaughnessy, George Orwell's wife whose influence upon his work has been largely unacknowledged until now. I probably won't have time to read all these books before the announcement of the shortlist on March 27 or the winner on June 13, but I'd like to read several more.

I’ve also made a video discussing all these titles which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHj59NMFGCQ. Have you read any of these books? Which are you looking forward to reading?

Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan

It's difficult to ever feel entirely comfortable in one's own skin. Following on from the excellent debut “Flèche”, Chan's new collection of poetry continues to describe the tension between self expression and belonging. Some poems deal with the struggle to find acceptance within the family and the bravery required to present oneself authentically. Sage advice is offered in the line “refuse to be a bomb shelter for your mother's fears.” But the book also suggests the surprising love and approval that can be found when there is honesty. Other poems reference the recent pandemic and startling moments of bigotry that are experienced. Not only do belittling words and actions create fresh lacerations but they're a reminder of all the different levels of abuse one has experienced throughout life and “How the body endures the toll of another's glance.” Over the course of three sections, this collection presents a life in constant flux and how we search for moments of solace and potential connection within our shared language.

One of the standout poems for me is titled 'Hindsight' which follows a path of logic considering one's position of privilege in relation to the suffering of past generations. Then the lines of the poem are reversed to give a whole new meaning and perspective on this issue. There's a natural guilt which accompanies living with a knowledge about the struggles our ancestors contended with and knowing that we wouldn't exist if they hadn't persisted through them. But that doesn't mean we should minimise the perils we face in our present times alongside the opportunities that have been provided. This poem poignantly expressed this through its structure and helped clarify my understanding after grappling with this issue for a long time.

Just as the author meaningfully articulates the challenges of navigating the world, there's also a deep consideration for the difficulty of finding which form this writing should take. This is addressed playfully at one point where it's noted “The poet opened a clean Word document, titled it POETRY, then saved it in a folder titled NONFICTION, then saved it in a folder titled FICTION.” Chan admits a preference for the poetic mode because “I want my reader to understand my protagonist and their feelings without my having to describe them in detail”. Poetry also comes across as the best refuge when confronted with the judgement of others: “I left home for the poem: inscrutable house, constructed space, blue room, how the poets have named a heaven in which lonely meanings sit companionably beside lonely children.” Many beautiful moments of connection can be found through the poems in this excellent book.

The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark

What if instead of being a hapless victim, a woman destined to die were to take control of her own fate? Early in this novella it's revealed that heroine Lise will be murdered. Therefore the story becomes an inventive 'whydunnit' as the narrative follows events leading to Lise's death alongside police interviews with people she encounters prior to her inevitable demise. The novel begins as she embarks on a holiday from her tedious job at an accountancy firm to travel to an unspecified South European city. She revels in dressing garishly, acting spontaneously and confronting anyone who impedes her mysterious journey to meet an illusory boyfriend. It's a startlingly unique psychological thriller as she encounters lascivious men, labyrinthine shopping malls and violent student protests. With her customary dark wit and lively prose, Spark's story creatively confronts issues of illness, self-destruction and mortality.

The motivations of this enticingly peculiar and emotionally volatile character are not immediately clear. It's compelling how Spark shows how Lise seems to make moment to moment choices. Yet, at the same time, she's driven by a strange mission which comes with its own parameters. Many of her encounters with others clash with her plans leading to conflict. It raises the question of whether she is acting eccentrically or if the world around her merely interprets her this way because she is inscrutable. Spark had a particular talent for writing about discontent and irascible characters in an enthralling way as with her novel “Momento Mori”. The dramatic plots serve as a frames through which such lively personalities can burst through insisting that their desires are met. It makes these figures feels truly alive.