The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Tag: Book Recs
Soviet Milk – Nora Ikstena
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel Set in Soviet-occupied Latvia between 1969 and 1989, Soviet Milk is the story of an unnamed mother and daughter struggling under Soviet rule. The mother, a gifted doctor unwilling to compromise with the regime, falls foul of the state… Continue Reading “Soviet Milk – Nora Ikstena”
What We Can Know – Ian McEwan
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Sally In 2014 a great poem is read aloud and never heard again. For generations, people speculate about its message, but no copy has yet been found. In 2119 the lowlands of the UK have been submerged by rising seas.… Continue Reading “What We Can Know – Ian McEwan”
All Our Yesterdays – Natalia Ginzburg
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie Published in 1952 and set against the rise of fascism and the Second World War in Italy, All Our Yesterdays explores how history unfolds through ordinary lives rather than extraordinary events. Natalia Ginzburg examines family, love, duty and the… Continue Reading “All Our Yesterdays – Natalia Ginzburg”
1985 – Dominic Hoey
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Tessa Set in 1985 Auckland, this novel follows an 11 year old boy named Obi who is on the cusp of teenagehood but has a maturity shaped by poverty, dysfunctional family dynamics, (dis)organised crime and violence. His dad’s delusional, his… Continue Reading “1985 – Dominic Hoey”
The Correspondent – Virginia Evans
READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE Sybil Van Antwerp is an elderly former lawyer whose life is revealed through letters and emails to family, friends and acquaintances. When someone from her past reappears, Sybil is forced to revisit a painful period in her life. Through her… Continue Reading “The Correspondent – Virginia Evans”
Girls Against God – Jenny Hval
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel Described as a radical fusion of feminist theory and experimental horror, Girls Against God is a stream of consciousness narrative on censorship, magic, gender, art and rebellion against power systems. I don’t know why I feel I have to… Continue Reading “Girls Against God – Jenny Hval”
Dark Matter – Blake Crouch
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by BridgetPhysics professor Jason Dessen is abducted into an alternate version of his own life and must find his way back to his own reality. Sci-fi thriller that explores choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the… Continue Reading “Dark Matter – Blake Crouch”
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”
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”
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… Continue Reading “2025: NZ Book Awards”
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