The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Before The Queen Falls Asleep – Huzama Habayeb
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chaired 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 daughter a story from her life. As Maleka prepares to leave home to attend university abroad, her mother revisits the past of their Palestinian family, describing their life in exile in Kuwait and her own experiences of love and loss as she grew up.
I weep over images from the serialised drama of our massacres, with multiple episodes and seasons. I gather them in private collections that I return to more than the family albums.
SALLY
● It took me a long time to become engaged with this book. Partly it was the style, which uses very elaborate and ornate language and very long sentence structure. I have since read that this is a feature of Arabic writing. The story follows a family of displaced Palestinians and centres round the eldest daughter, Jihad who is retelling her life story for the benefit of her daughter. I get the feeling the book is at least partly autobiographical as Jihad’s education and career mirrors that of the author, as does the fact that she has to leave her home because of war.
There are many themes in the book including displacement, family love, maternal love but for me the standout was feminism. All the female characters are strong and find ways to survive in terrible circumstances and to provide nourishment both physical and spiritual for their families. Their philosophy seems to be generosity even when there is very little to share. With the current horrors happening in Palestine, I felt especially empathetic towards this story of these women who prevail despite the challenges presented to them. A slow burn for sure but persevere and you will come to appreciate this loud and boisterous family, their strengths and idiosyncrasies and feel some hope for their futures.
JODIE
● I truly enjoyed this novel for the fact that it weaves together personal memory, family tension and gives the reader a cultural insight into Middle Eastern life. It tells us stories that women are often never allowed to tell. I enjoyed reading about the complexities of middle eastern womanhood and intergenerational trauma that comes with living through war, exile and silence.
RACHEL
● This was a mixed bag for me. Some parts were poetic and deeply affecting and others were long-winded chopping between people and times too much for me to follow. I did appreciate the characterisation of Jihad, and how her identity and place in the family helped define her and to question the role of women in Arab countries. I enjoyed the look at the reality of life in Palestine, Kuwait and Jordan during times of conflict, in particular how the author made this a personal war story not a political one. I loved all the female characters and how they manipulated their lives of control and survival with a quiet and undetected resistance in order to provide for their families. There are some people I think would enjoy this book but I wouldn’t make a sweeping recommendation of it to all and sundry.
TESSA
● Before the Queen Falls Asleep wasn’t a page‑turning read for me and certainly not a book I raced through. There were times where I was totally absorbed and other times where my attention was lost, putting it down to come back to later. Maybe it was the style of writing, or the way the narrative weaved between past and present at times making it feel fragmented. More than once, I found myself re‑reading passages to locate where I was in time and place.
That being said, I enjoyed the richness of the story. It felt intimate and deeply personal – almost like reading a memoir. What stood out for me was the focus on the women in the story, especially the central character Jihad. She carries a heavy share of her family’s burden on her shoulders, treated like the eldest son in terms of responsibility. She has a certain amount of freedom, but also through circumstances, heavy restraints lead to further hardship, which are compounded by displacement during the Gulf War. I also appreciated the father–daughter dynamic. His weakness showed just how strong and resilient she had to become, even when she felt like giving up.
There are very raw moments, tender moments and even flashes of humour throughout. I didn’t find it to be a political book but set within a certain time where politics played a strong part in the way the characters’ way of life played out. A book I am glad to have read and it felt especially timely in light of Palestine’s current situation.
Published in Arabic 2011
Translated into English by Kay Heikkinen 2021
MacLehose Press
500 pages
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 needy, or overly heroic or given complexity only within an overused narrative framework.
So it was refreshing to see in this shortlist women in situations rarely depicted in fiction, with some of the deeper, messier and more honest realities of womanhood laid bare.
She felt she was not who she once was. She felt that this should be visible from a great distance.
The Safekeep
We read about a peri-menopausal woman in an implusive act of self-discovery; Isis brides and the fragile negotiations of deradicalisation; dynamics within wealthy refugee families where privilege does not protect against the sense of dislocation; cultural duality and coming of age in a space that exists beneath the surface of respectable society; the effects of WWII on women and their connections to home; and ageing women discovering their continued relevance and power.
These stories illuminate facets of the female experience that are often overlooked. They challenge readers to sit with discomfort, ambiguity and contradiction and to recognise how profoundly women’s lives are shaped by societal, cultural, and personal upheavals.
You had to withstand a profound sense of wrongness if you ever wanted to get somewhere new.
All Fours
The authors also pushed boundaries through form and structure. We weren’t expecting Isis brides satire, peri-menopause auto-fiction or the story of an underground life told without regret. By intertwining personal narratives, wider social issues and experimental narrative structure, these authors are contributing to the evolving landscape of contemporary fiction.
The secret of change is not to waste time fighting the old, but to use your energy to build the new.
Fundamentally
Suzy: I actually really enjoyed all of these books but for my favourite I can’t go past the slightly feral but overwhelmingly amazing All Fours. Miranda July is a complete icon and I love how she shone a very bright spotlight on middle-aged women.
Suzy’s ranking:
1. All Fours
2. Good Girl
3. Fundamentally
4. The Persians
5. The Safekeep
6. Tell Me Everything
Rachel: I loved the boldness of these books. There was certainly no fear displayed by the authors in their character development, narrative style and subject matter. While I connected with some more than others, this is where I want fiction to continue going, bigger and bolder, so women’s stories can’t be dismissed, and our unique and diverse qualities are normalised, not spurned. My pick for the win is the book that went the biggest and the boldest, All Fours by Miranda July.
Rachel’s ranking:
1. All Fours
2. Good Girl
3. The Persians
4. Fundamentally
5. The Safekeep
6. Tell Me Everything
Tell Me Everything – Elizabeth Strout
READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE
Elizabeth 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 the characters wonder: “What does anyone’s life mean?”
These are broken people. Big difference between being a broken person and being evil. In case you don’t know. And if you don’t think everyone is broken in some way, you’re wrong. I’m telling you this because you have been so fortunate in your life, you probably don’t even know such broken people exist.
RACHEL
● I think I set myself up for failure with this book. As a fan of Elizabeth Strout I’ve come to expect a lot from her books, and in a novel that brings together Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge I was expecting the flash and bang of fireworks. When, actually, what I value from Strout is her quietly powerful explorations of people and relationships, and this book certainly provides her usual sharp observations and insight. Why was I expecting fireworks? I’m not sure.
I think it was the patchwork of anecdotes and nostalgic returns that made me feel like there was no central plot. I kept thinking, ah, here’s the main thread, only for another tale to turn into a bit of a fizzer. Even the murder mystery element never quite delivers. But I guess that patchwork of stories fits the title: Tell Me Everything. The characters sure do tell us everything, to the point of oversharing. Maybe I need to re-read because it’s the only Strout book I haven’t whole-heartedly loved.
Published 2024
Random House
326 pages
The Book of Guilt – Catherine Chidgey
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chaired 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 their wrong doings documented in The Book Of Guilt. Set in a dystopian Britain in 1979, the book is influenced by moments from history and has a slow burn as the innocent boys come to realise the truth of their lives.
Before I knew what I was, I lived with my brothers in a grand old house in the heart of the New Forest. It had blue velvet curtains full of dust and fire surrounds painted like marble to fool the eye, and a panelled Entrance Hall hung with old dark mirrors.
TESSA
● I found The Book of Guilt a deeply thought-provoking and quietly disturbing novel that lingered with me long after the final page. The story unfolds at a slow, deliberate pace that kept me slightly off balance throughout. Just when I thought I knew where it was heading, it would shift unexpectedly, deepening the tension and sense of unease.
Told through multiple perspectives, the novel explores unsettling ethical questions: how power operates, how identities are shaped or erased by systems, and what happens when control is masked as care. Though the themes are undeniably dark, Chidgey handles them with restraint, revealing the slow build of understanding, the emotional weight of realisation, and the deep harm that systems can inflict. And yet, alongside the bleakness, there are moments of connection, acts of kindness, and resistance.
The book doesn’t offer easy answers, but for me, that made it all the more powerful. It left me thinking deeply about how we are shaped and what it takes to hold onto something. I was left with a quiet sense of hope, that even within systems built to suppress, the human spirit is not entirely breakable. A haunting, intelligent, and unforgettable read. I highly recommend it.
SALLY
● I think I was about two pages into this novel when I decided I had discovered my new favourite modern writer. Catherine Chidgey’s prose is exquisite and I was constantly delighted by her clever use of language.
From the very first line of this book we are made aware that nothing is quite what it seems and the tension of that knowledge kept me turning pages. I could not put it down.The characters were so well drawn and utterly believable. The philosophical debates that rage within the plot gave us plenty to dissect in our discussions and in my view some aspects mirror events both historic and current. When I finished the book I was left with a vaguely nauseous feeling about homo sapiens in general but a magnificent admiration for this brilliant author. 10/10 from me and I am now working my way through her other novels.
BRIDGET
● The Book of Guilt was an easy and compelling read as it was so well written. It’s not fast paced but that didn’t make it any less thrilling. Chidgey unfolds a stirring exploration into the emotional burdens we carry, examining how obedience breeds power and control. Every character carries their own shadow of guilt, and Chidgey masterfully reveals how this guilt shapes identity, binds people together, and quietly corrodes their lives from within. I thought it was a beautifully written novel woven with a quirky humour. The funny moments added charm to a deeply layered, human story. I would highly recommend reading this one.
RACHEL
● When you think Catherine Chidgey can’t get any better she produces The Book Of Guilt. #mindblown. What I loved the most was the respect Chidgey gives us readers, providing subtleties and hints to allow us to work things out for ourselves, and not resorting to cheap highs. There is a even pace, consistent reveal of information, and a lovely sinister undercurrent lurking. The characters are beautifully drawn, flawed and guilty but relatable in their societally impacted actions. My heart strings were pulled left and right all book long as I sympathised with or loathed characters and/or their behaviours. I hope this book wins every award it is eligible for.
JODIE
● I was totally immersed in this speculative historical fiction novel by Catherine Chidgey from the first page. It was a thought provoking novel exploring ideas such as nature vs nurture and whether individual life is worth sacrificing for humanity as a whole. It’s full of twists and turns and I found it a real page turner. Without a doubt it’s a novel that is worth its weight in gold and I would recommend it widely.
Published 2025
Te Herenga Waka University Press
400 pages
Good Girl – Aria Aber
READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE
A 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 discovers underground clubs, sex, drugs, philosophy and literature, and finds herself attached to a demanding older American boyfriend.
Growing up meant learning how to love my parents in a language they didn’t understand, and forgiving them in one I barely spoke.
SUZY
● I was a bit dubious of Good Girl at first. It was such a jolt from the exuberant Fundamentally and I wondered whether the cool girl main character would ever let the reader in or would we be held at arm’s length as she wandered from one Berlin nightclub to another.
As I gently moved more deeply into her world, I felt such compassion for Nila and as the novel came to completion I felt like I was some kind of concerned aunty wishing her nothing but joy, peace and safety.
RACHEL
● I’ve always been drawn to books that balance hardship with the transformative power of art. Good Girl is the epitome of this, with the author giving Nila the attributes of artful contemplation and quiet rebellion, in an intelligent, emotionally grounded voice.
Some scenes were hard to read, the clubs, drugs, sex, and seductive chaos of Marlowe, because it was so apparent why Nila was chasing those quick highs. Sometimes I wanted to jump into the book and drag her out of the wreckage. But Aber constructed her protagonist so well I had to trust her and accept it would be both painful and gratifying to watch Nila grow up and find her own way out of the mayhem. – Rachel
Published 2025
Hogarth
368 pages
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 well as the Isis women. Told in a uniquely satirical and humorous narrative.
By normal, you mean like you? A slag with a saviour complex?
RACHEL
● At first, it felt inappropriate to laugh at Fundamentally. The author has taken a serious, politically charged subject and layered it with humour that is anything but subtle, it’s almost slapstick. But as I kept reading, the comedy grew on me, as did the main character, Nadia, with her sharp tongue and vulnerability. I felt like Nadia was the only character with true depth though, the support cast seemed there mostly to serve a function.
While I did learn a lot about Isis brides and the struggles with deradicalisation, the narrative did have its flaws in terms of plot holes and an overly sentimental ending. However, I was never tempted to DNF, it kept me engaged, even if I wasn’t swept away by it. I didn’t love it, but I appreciated what it was doing and I would probably recommend it. – Rachel
SUZY
● This book is shocking in that a comical spin is put on a definitely unfunny situation, but somehow the author does this in a way that doesn’t make you feel like a piece of sh!t when you accidentally smile at some of her hilarious writing.
I really enjoyed it and while the plot is implausible at times, it’s completely forgivable as it’s such a rollicking read.
Published 2025
Tiny Reparations Books
352 pages
Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen 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 ashore. Wild Dark Shore is an exploration of a world in crisis, both ecologically and emotionally. It’s a psychological and climate thriller with many twists, turns and surprises.
Maybe we will drown or burn or starve one day, but until then we get to choose if we’ll add to that destruction or if we will care for each other.
RACHEL
● The multi-genre style of this book makes it very approachable. It has the twists, turns and plot dumps of a typical thriller, the character development of literary fiction, a wild gothic setting and the “what if?” climate fiction noose hangs menacingly in every scene, more realist than speculative. I forgave some of the more convenient plot drivers due to the author’s extraordinary work in creating emotional intensity in a well structured and paced format. This is the best cli fi novel I have read, as McConaghy does not get preachy or moralistic, but made me love the setting like a well-developed character. The more the raging sea dragged land into its depths, and the haunting lights tumbled in the howling winds, the more connected I felt to the Earth, a living, breathing thing begging for attention. – Rachel
JODIE
● This slow burn thriller had me fully immersed in the plot but it was the setting that is one of the most compelling elements of the novel. The rugged wind lashed the coastline and felt almost alive. The wild backdrop not only grounds the narrative but amplifies its gothic tone. The climate change theme was subtly woven into the narrative. It didn’t come across as preachy but showed us a realistic portrayal of environmental change. I found the seed bank aspect fascinating, and from Rach’s research learnt there is a world seed bank in Norway. A great novel that threw out a lot of punches towards the end.
TESSA
● I found Wild Dark Shore immersive and easy to move through, despite its darker themes. For me, the real strength of the novel was the author’s vivid description of the setting, brought to life through the characters’ perspectives — that was the part I connected with the most. I could really feel the isolation and beauty of the place, along with its dark past. I also appreciated the strong environmental focus, which is beautifully woven into the story, and learning about seed vaults added a fascinating element. The mystery aspect, however, felt a bit forced at times, which made it harder for me to connect with the characters emotionally until later in the book. It didn’t all work for me, but it was still a satisfying read.
SALLY
● I was very excited by the synopsis on the back of this book but ultimately, I found it unconvincing. The characters were well drawn apart from one in particular, who I felt was not as villainous as we were expected to find them. My main irritation was with the multiple, seemingly endless, plot strands. I found some of the character storylines unnecessary and distracting and others failed to ring true and added nothing to the story. For me, the climate change angle and the family dynamics would have filled the book.
Until our book group discussion, I was unaware there was a whole genre of fiction classed as climate fiction. I feel happy to have been educated! The author painted a great picture of the location, the wildlife, and the history of the island and she nailed the gothic fiction elements. This book was not a stand out for me, but I happily ready right to the end, which (unlike other members of our group), I did not see coming.
BRIDGET
● The themes I gravitated towards the most in Wild Dark Shore were those that focused on the environment, grief, and hope. The characters each carry deep personal grief. Whether it’s the death of loved ones, or the slow erosion of the world, grief saturates them. Yet I always sensed a persistent glimmer of hope and that made the characters’ journeys relatable. This juxtaposition of environmental collapse and emotional resilience reminded me that it is not foolish to hope for better, it is necessary.
The environmental destruction in this book is not just a backdrop, it felt like a living force that was shaping the characters’ decisions and relationships. The author’s talent of depicting wild spaces, crashing wind swept coastlines, ancient forests, and open sea helped me further understand the fragility of the human spirit and Mother Earth. I didn’t think I’d enjoy climate fiction but this won me over, especially with that ending which is fast-paced and full of surprising twists that kept me on my toes.
Published 2025
Flatiron Books
303 pages
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 elite who are discovering family secrets and trying to find their place in their new worlds.
We are born artists, us Persians, born dreamers. Even if we express it in high finance or dentistry.
RACHEL
● The Persians is a wild juxtaposition, combining the seriousness of Iranian political history and generational trauma with a satirical, absurd narrative voice. At first, I found this jarring. I think I expected a more typical immigrant-struggle narrative. Then Suzy referenced it as being like Housewives of Beverly Hills (or Tehrangeles) and that helped me loosen up and embrace the ride.
The characters are all super privileged, like spending-$30k-on-watches-and-then-throwing-them-in-the-snow rich. I didn’t ever connect with them, they were too entitled and shouty for my liking. What kept me going instead was the historical backdrop and the reflections on Persian identity, particularly for women. It is a fast-paced read with something new and dramatic happening every paragraph so it certainly wasn’t boring. – Rachel
SUZY
● The juxtaposition of the character’s lives in both America and Iran was at times jarring, and I can only imagine the reality for immigrants who move between these two immense cultures that were each presented as flawed and challenging, with residents trying to make the best of things regardless of where they settled.
I really enjoyed the layered, multi-generational storytelling and the debauched humour was much appreciated and often a welcome relief.
Published 2024
Scribner
384 pages
2025: NZ Book Awards
This year’s Book Awards brings together four quietly powerful novels that reflect a focus on subtlety and social resonance. Delirious by Damien Wilkins, The Mires by Tina Makereti, Pretty Ugly by Kirsty Gunn, and At the Grand Glacier Hotel by Laurence Fearnley each offer explorations of human experience anchored in the quiet burn of real life rather than the sensationalism you might expect from an awards shortlist.
“That year. That year. People always said, that year. [Delirious]
One aspect that unites these books is the focus on characters often overlooked in fictional narratives: in particular middle-aged women, older men and women, those in long marriages and those dealing with disabilities and health concerns. In Delirious, Wilkins paints a tender portrait of a couple navigating ageing and the impact of the past, while Fearnley’s At the Grand Glacier Hotel quietly allows its protagonist to heal in a calming, isolated part of the natural environment. These protagonists and narratives are not rushing toward revelation; they are steeped in time, place, and recalibration.
Why we were drawn to each other was somehow simple but also mysterious. We were easy in each other’s company but beneath that? I felt seen, I suppose, but something more. [At The Grand Glacier Hotel]
Tina Makereti’s The Mires adds a visceral exploration of colonialism, racism, and intergenerational trauma, folding climate anxieties and Māori mythology into its swampy, haunting setting. Kirsty Gunn’s Pretty Ugly is a short story collection where emotional and aesthetic contradictions expose the raw beauty and ugliness of humanity.
These are not twisty thrillers nor alternative genres, they are all tales of lived realities and the complexities of the human condition. They’re novels that trust the intelligence and patience of their readers.
It is a shortlist that omits some expected authors and titles, but the result of the judges’ choices is a collection that embraces subtly, realism and meaningful settings rather than rushing to create and resolve plot drivers.
All these stories are about truth; how to find the truth and how driven we are by pretense and how much of our lives are lived not so much as what they truly are but as what we want them to appear to be. [Pretty Ugly]
● What an interesting shortlist – these novels/short stories are restrained to the point of being almost subdued, but each has a richness and warmth that means as a reader we are drawn in and carried along beside the characters as they make discoveries and decisions that at times appear to be inconsequential, but are in fact often monumental.
Pretty Ugly was often too clever for me, but I think it’s this cleverness that will possibly get it the win. My favourite read was At The Grand Glacier Hotel. I felt enveloped and cocooned by this novel and loved the gentle journey that the protagonist went through. – Suzy
Sometimes it’s animals, sometimes it’s less animated things, like trees or mud. The worst is people. You don’t ever want to feel what’s going on inside another person, not if you can help it. It’s so confusing, so dense with thought and word and feeling, all scrambled together. [The Mires]
● This collection of books has reminded me to slow down and relish all parts of a story. Often books are written in a propulsive way that make me want to read quickly to discover the next revelation, but these four books made me ease up and enjoy the journey of reading rather than just anticipating the resolution. Which is what the characters were doing, taking considered steps through interesting parts of their lives and not trying to rush the future.
It took some further thinking and an illuminating literary dissection with Suzy before I appreciated all the books fully but I have come to highly value them all and think they will affect my future reading. To be honest I don’t mind who wins. I mostly loved At The Grand Glacier Hotel and The Mires and will choose the latter as my pick for win. – Rachel
Her Side Of The Story – Alba De Cespedes
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel
Alessandra Corteggiani recalls her youth and the lives of women during the rise of fascism in Italy, the resistance, and the fall of Mussolini. Originally published in 1949, it is a timeless portrayal of the complexity of the female condition, told by a woman who is committed to telling “her side of the story.”
Even the brief life of a woman is infinitely long—hour after hour, day after day—and rarely is it a single motive that drives her to a sudden act of rebellion.
● Her Side of the Story is a novel that blends romantic tension with historical social commentary – it really shines a light on the complexity of love, particularly over the time of the second world war when societal expectations weighed heavily on women. It’s a beautifully written feminist novel that was influenced by the author’s own experiences over this time period. Don’t let the length put you off. I was engaged for the entire 500 pages and loved the ending which was delivered with a real punch! – Jodie
● What I loved about this book was the author’s ability to portray a woman who is strong and brave and determined but also a hopeless romantic. Alessandra wants everything that life has to offer whether it is perceived as feminine or masculine or morally wrong. She wants every experience and does not apologise or feel guilt for her actions. She is such a complete character and I enjoyed following her through her life as a child with troubled parents, as a niece sent to the countryside, as a wife who can spot a controlling patriarchal convention a mile off and as a rebel taking action against the fascists. A long book and a slow burn, something to really lose yourself in. – Rachel
Published in Italian 1949
Translated into English by Jill Foulston 2023
Astra House
500 pages
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