Ambergris by Jeff VanderMeer
a big book about mushrooms that are magic (not magic mushrooms)
Tag: contemporary fiction
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
a hyper-cautious novel about archetypes avoids offence but also characterisation
Boy Parts by Eliza Clark (Influx Press, 2020)
a week off work begins with a great contemporary novel
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
an excellent novel; in footnotes my concluding thoughts on the TV series The Affair
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore
digression-free thoughts on a dull novel
Four Short(ish) Novels from 2020
can’t stop reading / can’t start doing anything else
Sharks In The Time of Saviors [sic] by Kawai Strong Washburn
but sharks are evil, right?
the story of the lost child by elena ferrante
two and a half months ago i read an incredible novel
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante
truly one of the greatest recent works of fiction
Cygnet by Season Butler
a solid contemporary novel
Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante
a truly phenomenal novel but Scotty still depressed
The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi
essentially a review of my new meds
I Am A Truck by Michelle Winters
very very very good novella from 2016
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
a solid, if unambitious, novel from a major contemporary voice
The Outlander by Gil Adamson
i’ve found my local indie press
The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Rivera Garza
i read a book wrong / nothing compares 2 Proust
I Hate The Internet by Jarett Kobek
the best novel I’ve read about the internet
My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
great playful (tho violent!) contemporary Nigerian novel
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
a stupid person’s idea of a clever novel; fun but flimsy
Normal People by Sally Rooney
rooney rooney
Farewell, Cowboy by Olja Savičević
some more great balkan writing
Tentacle by Rita Indiana
a fantastic contemporary novella
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
it’s the most wonderful book of the year
A Terrible Country by Keith Gessen
a very good contemporary novel
I Love Dick by Chris Kraus
a little bit of Vitamin D…
Every Fox Is A Rabid Fox by Harry Gallon
death, dying, dead
The First Day by Phil Harrison
mainstream literary fiction that I very nearly love
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
my thoughts on literature and class
My Brother’s Husband: Volume Two by Gengoroh Tagame
part two of a beautiful graphic novel
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
Colson Whitehead’s intriguing, if imperfect, debut
Rush Oh! by Shirley Barrett
[sing “I am whaling” to the tune of Rod Stewart’s ‘Sailing’]
Seven Terrors by Selvedin Avdić
phenomenal pop-post-modernist novel straight outta bosnia
Three Dreams in the Key of G by Marc Nash
three split narratives, one of which confused me…
Street of Thieves by Mathias Enard
another ruddy belter from enard who i love
Hasard Objectif by Joanna Walsh
love love love love love… and books
Nowhere to go but back again by Dizz Tate
short blog on a goldsmiths short
Bluets by Maggie Nelson
im blue abadadee abadie
The Tryst by Monique Roffey
another sexy sexy sex book
Such Small Hands by Andrés Barba
Digression-free review of some new literary fiction
Blue Self-Portrait by Noémi Lefebvre
Some newly-translated cracking French fiction
Dark Chapter by Winnie M Li
An important new novel about sexual assault. Long post.
Gross In Feather, Loud In Voice by Judson Hamilton
Emotive, bizarre, inventive, stories.
The Night Visitors by Jenn Ashworth & Richard V. Hirst
Great book, plus lots about why I didn’t win the award I was shortlisted for.
All The Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld
A good novel about regret and running away
Attrib. and other stories by Eley Williams
drowning in sobriety like I used to drown in booze; even sublime prose can’t hoist me happy
Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett
Pond is great, but like My Chemical Romance, I’m Not OK.
Beatlebone by Kevin Barry
We need to talk about how you wouldn’t get a literary novelist called Kevin in England
The Faithful Couple by A.D. Miller
A rare book on male friendship, but do we need more books starring rich hetero white men?
The Sellout by Paul Beatty
books on race loved by the privileged make me nervous
Triumph Of The Now 