2023: End Of Year Thoughts

There’s an intriguing stream of literature being published post Covid. That time of constraint and restriction appears to have spurred a greater range of freedoms post pandemic, especially in the way in which writers examine the human psyche and societal change.

Characters we met this year seemed to be strong and oh so convincing but often set in surreal environments to challenge traditional thinking. These alternative realities and magical elements really pushed the character to react, and the reader to examine today’s world, and to re-imagine it. When put under this spotlight, crises of the world and sobering events of the year can be more closely considered and understood; applauded or condemned.

We just wrapped that fog around us like a cocoon.

Cocoon by Zhang Yurean

In our reading this year we explored a diverse assortment of genres that took on all these considerations, pushing us outside of our comfort zones and sometimes right over the edge! It’s no surprise all our Most Shocking Moments came from the same book: Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, a book where humans are harvested for meat.

Motherhood was one common theme we found to be under examination to measures we had not seen before. The pressure of getting it right; the consequences when its not; the relationships children of all ages have with their mothers; lengths to which a mother will go to protect her young; mothering relationships between strangers. As mothers all of us, we were quick to offer opinion on how mothers were portrayed, and wondered has it even been done right yet? There is still much complexity of motherhood to be explored.

So what did we love from our 2023 reading? There were some commonalties, such as admiration of how the crack in the pool in The Swimmers by Julie Otsaka so cleverly represented Alice’s dementia; that Lauren John Joseph had the most interesting author bio; and Tama winding up Rob produced some of the funniest moments.

‘Tama. Don’t you dare.’
‘Maybe you’ve had a nose job. Classic whore move, babe. What the fuck’s a peacharine? Can’t you cut up a fucking potato? I’m not an enemy. This was no suicide, Trent. See the spatter patterns? Do you think it’s hormones? Am I just the workhorse?’
‘Obviously we can’t use profanities,’ said Lakshmi.
‘We can’t use profanities,’ I said.
He’s being a dick on purpose,’ said Rob.
‘He’s being a dick on purpose,’ I said.

The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey

Here’s a selection of the rest of our faves:

Best Character
Suzy – Ms Shibata from Dairy Of A Void
Jo – Martha from Sorrow & Bliss
Jodie – Keiko from Convenience Store Woman
Rachel – Ms Shibata from Dairy Of A Void

Following the manager’s cue, we repeated the phrases at the top of our lungs. “We pledge to provide our customers with the best service and to aim to make our store the beloved store of choice in the area!”

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Worst Character
Suzy – Rob from The Axeman’s Carnival
Jo – Thomas James from At Certain Points We Touch
Jodie – Miriam Cornell, the piano teacher, from Lessons
Rachel – Shiraha from Convenience Store Woman

Best Relationship
Suzy – Jiaqui & Gong from Cocoon
Jo – Melanie & Ms Justineau from The Girl With All The Gifts
Jodie – Marnie & Tama from The Axeman’s Carnival
Rachel – Marnie & Tama from The Axeman’s Carnival

Most Atmospheric Setting
Suzy – The convenience store in Convenience Store Woman
Jo – The water tower in Cocoon
Jodie – The convenience store in Convenience Store Woman
Rachel – The slaughterhouse in Tender Is The Flesh

Best Ending
Suzy – Sorrow & Bliss
Jo – The Girl With All The Gifts
Jodie – Tender Is The Flesh
Rachel – Dairy Of A Void

Runner Up Best Book Of The Year
Suzy – Convenience Store Woman
Jo – The Girl With All The Gifts
Jodie – Dairy Of A Void
Rachel – Dairy Of A Void

Book Of The Year
Suzy – Tender Is The Flesh
Jo – Tender Is The Flesh
Jodie – Sorrow & Bliss
Rachel – Tender Is The Flesh

After all, since the world began, we’ve been eating each other. If not symbolically, then we’ve been literally gorging on each other. The Transition has enabled us to be less hypocritical.

Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica