Category: Literary fiction

Hum – Helen Phillips

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel In a climate ravaged dystopian future where robots (Hums) take the every day jobs of humans and surveillance is at an all time high, a woman undergoes experiental facial surgery in order to pay her bills and treat her… Continue Reading “Hum – Helen Phillips”

Endling – Maria Reva

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie Three women – a maverick biologist and two sisters embroiled in the Russian bride industry and searching for their missing mother – kidnap 13 hopeful bachelors and race across Ukraine trying to find a mate for a last-of-its-kind Lefty… Continue Reading “Endling – Maria Reva”

Before The Queen Falls Asleep – Huzama Habayeb

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChaired by Sally Born a girl to parents who expected a boy, Jihad grows up treated like the eldest son, wearing boy’s clothing and sharing the burden of head of the household with her father. Now middle-aged, each night Jihad tells her… Continue Reading “Before The Queen Falls Asleep – Huzama Habayeb”

2025: Women’s Prize

The representation of women in fiction has been under scrutiny for some time. Yes we are well beyond the era of the sighing damsel in distress, but a sustained examination of the intricacies of womanhood is still developing. Too often women are portrayed as… Continue Reading “2025: Women’s Prize”

Tell Me Everything – Elizabeth Strout

READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZEElizabeth Strout returns the reader to the town of Crosby, Maine, and finally brings together characters from her past fictional successes: Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge and Bob Burgess. There is a shocking crime committed, relationships examined and many stories told as… Continue Reading “Tell Me Everything – Elizabeth Strout”

The Book of Guilt – Catherine Chidgey

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChaired by Tessa Triplet orphans spend their life isolated in a special home cared for by Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night, learning about the world from The Book of Knowledge, having their dreams analysed in The Book of Dreams and… Continue Reading “The Book of Guilt – Catherine Chidgey”

Good Girl – Aria Aber

READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZEA coming of age about Nila, a girl born in Berlin to Afghan immigrants. For Nila there is a constant negotiation between her inherited grief and her desire to belong in a culture that doesn’t reflect her. As a result she… Continue Reading “Good Girl – Aria Aber”

Fundamentally – Nussaibah Younis

READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE Nadia Amin, a PhD graduate, publishes an article on deradicalisation, and ends up with a job rehabilitating Isis brides in Iraq. Relishing the opportunity to escape her claustophobic mother and broken relationship she realises she needs to heal herself as… Continue Reading “Fundamentally – Nussaibah Younis”

Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny sub-antarctic island that is home to the world’s largest seed bank. It is being destroyed by climate change and while the Salts await rescuers, a woman washes… Continue Reading “Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy”

The Persians – Sanam Mahloudji

READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE The story of an Iranian family, some of whom flee to the US during times of conflict, and some who stay. Five women from three generations of the Valiat family narrate their past and present as members of the Iranian… Continue Reading “The Persians – Sanam Mahloudji”