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| BiP staff review by Leonie |
The Buried Giant
Kazuo Ishiguro
Mar 2015 | Faber | $29.99pb BiP price $24.99
Ten years after his last novel, Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro has produced a book in which he manages to surprise and to push the boundaries between reality and fantasy. The Buried Giant is the story of Axl and Beatrice, an elderly couple living in poverty in a small hillside village in Iron Age Britain. The country has been shrouded in a mist of forgetfulness for many years, but when snippets of memory start to come back to Axl and Beatrice they decide to leave their community to travel many miles to reunite with their son. In this land of myths and legends they will not have an easy journey. On their first stopover at a Saxon fortress they meet a fascinating young warrior, Wistan, and a strange young man, Edwin, who accompany them some of the way on their travels. During the journey they meet the last of the Arthurian knights, ogres, monks, strange boatmen and she-dragons. They also start to remember more of their past lives. The Buried Giant is not just a fantasy novel: it is a beautifully written work of humour, adventure, memories and the frailty of humanity. Increasingly throughout the book you will notice that the story becomes more about the uneasy peace between very different communities and the avenging of grievances from years past. I enjoyed every page of this book. Kazuo Ishiguro is one of my writing heroes and I was definitely not disappointed. Available 3rd March 2015
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| BiP staff review by Leonie |
Useful
Debra Oswald
Feb 2015 | Viking | $32.99pb
Sullivan Moss, a failed actor and musician, has alienated everyone in his life, including his ex-wife Astrid and all his friends. He has become a drunken loser, not even able to commit suicide successfully. When he wakes up in hospital after his failed attempt, suffering from concussion, Sullivan realizes that he has already disposed of all of his possessions. With nothing to do he has a long think about the waste of his life so far. This leads to a decision that helps to turn his life around. Sullivan wants to donate a kidney. Of course this is not going to be as easy as he thinks; a complete change of lifestyle is called for, including no more alcohol. Natalie, a radio producer and single mother, comes to Sullivan’s aid with a place to live. Her father died recently, leaving his apartment empty and his dog Mack alone. Sullivan gets a job removing asbestos; with a place to live and Mack to look after, his life has a structure which it has not had for years. Making friends with Natalie and her son Louis, and contacting Astrid and his oldest friend Tim, helps Sullivan to keep on an even keel at last. All he needs to do is work hard until he is approved and called up for the transplant. But nothing to do with Sullivan Moss ever quite goes to plan. Debra Oswald has been admired for her brilliant screenwriting and she can now be congratulated for her first novel.
The Whispering City
Sara Moliner
Feb 2015 | Little, Brown | $29.99pb
Barcelona in 1952 was a very dark place. The fascist regime of General Franco was at the height of its reign of terror. When a wealthy woman is found murdered in her mansion various factions in the police department scramble to gain control of the subsequent investigation. Ana Marti Noguer, an eager young journalist, is assigned to cover the case. She discovers a bundle of strange letters and realizes that the official position on the murder is a long way from what actually happened. Under scrutiny from her own colleagues and the opposing forces of the police, Ana needs to be very careful. She uncovers clues to a dark conspiracy which involves some of the regime’s most important figures. Aided by a couple of trusted friends she manages to avoid arrest and completes her investigation. Translated from Spanish, The Whispering City is a very atmospheric tale which brings to life a city living in fear.
