2017: My Year in Books
From discovering new and exciting books and authors to revisiting some old favourites, the number of books I have read in 2017 is much less than I would have liked (it always is!), but it is surprisingly more than I thought I had got around to. Here is the list with a short opinion on each (more book reviews to come in 2018!):
The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon > Part one of three, this is one for book lovers. This story is a page-turner; an adventure through time, love and obsession, intertwined with a respect and love for books. Highly recommended.
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Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind – Yuval Noah Harari > The first of a two part series, this is a brilliant and fascinating exploration of our history as a species that answers a lot of questions about why we are where we are now. Highly recommended.
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His Bloody Project – Graeme Macrae Burnet > A murder story unlike any other I’ve come across; a thriller that is captivating, clever and very well written from a different angle than usual crime fictions. Highly recommended, if you like crime/murder fiction.
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Brave New World – Aldous Huxley > With 2017 having seen several dystopian novels being made into TV programmes and science and technology pushing forward, a reread of this classic dystopian novel rings many alarm bells. Imaginative yet worryingly familiar, this is a recommended read.
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Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov > Although highly controversial in content and subject matter, this novel is astonishing in the way that the main character is written and developed. Would recommend for quality of writing, in particular for character examination.
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The Jesus Man – Christos Tsiolkas > A dark and difficult read about race, identity, family, self-esteem and violence. As with the previous Tsiolkas’ novel I had read, The Slap, the challenging subject areas are expertly tackled. Although I preferred The Slap, this is still worth a read.
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Ruby – Cynthia Bond > A love story like no other: shocking and captivating, this novel will stay with you for a while after you’ve finished it. Set in the rural South of the USA, Ruby’s story incorporates conflict in social class, gender, perception, love and violence. This novel is highly recommended if you are OK with vivid violence and difficult subject areas.
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Number 11 – Jonathan Coe > A stark reminder of the ups and downs of our current world of celebrity, politics, technology and social media. It is about our current lives and how we live them.
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Did You Ever Have a Family – Bill Clegg > A very well-written account of family secrets that inevitably come to light in the wake of a tragedy. It is about loss, grief, sadness and, ultimately, life.
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All the Rivers – Dorit Rabinyan > This is a novel that explores forbidden love, identity, political and social clashes and peels away all the layers to life to get to the core of it.
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The Messenger – Kader Abdolah > A controversial take on the life and story of the Islamic prophet Mohammad.
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Nutshell – Ian McEwan > A unique and original take on a crime fiction, this novel has a good, strong narrative and examines the sometimes ugly side of humans and life. Highly recommended.
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When We Were Orphans – Kazuo Ishiguro > A beautifully written account of love, loss and time, this is one of Ishiguro’s finest. Set between 1930s London and older Shanghai, we are submersed into high society of London and taken on an adventure through the history of the far East. A highly recommended story about life and memory.
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Looking into 2018:
I have already started reading Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson, which is so far proving to be a stunning piece of writing. As with most readers, I have a never shrinking, always growing reading list so choosing books is not always easy, but there are a few that stand out:
Ali Smith’s Autumn and its sequel, Winter.
Little Deaths by Emma Flint
Mythos by Stephen Fry
Britain by the Book by Oliver Tearle
Common Type by Tom Hanks
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInnerney
Here’s to a happy and healthy 2018 with plenty of reading!
