The Literary Sofa
Books
Book Review: Florence & Giles by John Harding
I came to this book with no preconceptions, having bought it on Kindle because someone on Twitter had recommended it as a Victorian ghost story. That’s all I knew. I may have been attracted by the title Florence & Giles – titles made up of two first names are rare and bold, and the novel itself … Continue reading
Book Review: The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
I don’t often await a novel with as much anticipation as the latest from Jeffrey Eugenides. Both The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex drew me into worlds which were bizarre but utterly captivating, so I fully expected to be writing a rave review of The Marriage Plot. Well, it’s not going to happen. It seems that … Continue reading
Book Review: Are We Nearly There Yet? by Ben Hatch
I feel as though I’ve robbed Ben Hatch. To have paid only 99p on Kindle for Are We Nearly There Yet? doesn’t seem right. But I’m going to make up for it by buying some hard copies because it would make a brilliant Christmas present for anyone who (sorry, this is quite a list): has kids … Continue reading
Book Review: The Devil’s Music by Jane Rusbridge
I recently spent some time on the coast in Dorset, but I’ve been thinking about the sea for weeks, since reading The Devil’s Music by Jane Rusbridge. When you read a lot (and I’m up to 46 novels so far this year), even good books fade and blur in the memory, but a month after … Continue reading
Book Review: The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
Repellent characters, foul language, horrible sex… More than three years after it was published, The Slap continues to reverberate, not least in its native Australia where the TV series is currently being broadcast. This book has quite a reputation. When it came out in the UK in 2010 (and made the Booker longlist) a book group in … Continue reading
Book Review: What I Did by Christopher Wakling
Chris Wakling must be sick of comparisons. His fifth novel, What I Did, is constantly being compared to Room (Emma Donoghue), The Slap (Christos Tsiolkas) and The Curious Incident.. (you know the one, by Mark Haddon). On the other hand, these are all huge bestsellers, which bodes well for his new book. I’ve read all the above, … Continue reading
My new novel SCENT – out in paperback on 19 May 2022
The Literary Sofa 