Tag: Must Read Books

Disgrace – J M Coetzee

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Jo In mimicry of his South African homeland, professor David Lurie seduces one of his students and sets in motion a chain of events that leave him utterly disgraced ⚑ “I admire Coetzee hugely after reading this great story… Continue Reading “Disgrace – J M Coetzee”

The New Ships – Kate Duignan

READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Peter Collie reassesses past events in the wake of his wife’s death only to discover new secrets. ⚑ “Family matters are at the fore of Peter Collie’s life. Upon his wife’s death Peter learns of secrets kept about his… Continue Reading “The New Ships – Kate Duignan”

All This By Chance – Vincent O’Sullivan

READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS A moving multigenerational family saga about the legacy of the Holocaust and the burden of secrets never shared ⚑ “I was all in for I would say three-quarters of this novel but then as the characters we focused on… Continue Reading “All This By Chance – Vincent O’Sullivan”

The Cage – Lloyd Jones

READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS A profound and unsettling novel about humanity and dignity and the ease with which we’re able to justify brutality. ⚑ “It’s like Lloyd Jones got in my head and seeing my worst fears was then inspired to write the… Continue Reading “The Cage – Lloyd Jones”

This Mortal Boy – Fiona Kidman

READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS The re-creation of one of the last executions in New Zealand leading to the abolition of capital punishment. ⚑ “Poor Albert Black. I appreciated the way this novel explored the impact on everyone involved in his trial and sentencing… Continue Reading “This Mortal Boy – Fiona Kidman”

The Orphan Master’s Son – Adam Johnston

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Rachel A portrait of a world hidden from view: North Korea, rife with hunger, corruption, and casual cruelty but also camaraderie, stolen moments of beauty, and love. ⚑ “The Orphan Master’s Son reminded me of Nineteen Eighty Four, but… Continue Reading “The Orphan Master’s Son – Adam Johnston”

A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Becks Amongst a backdrop of dystopian violence is a story about good and evil and the right to human freedom.  ⚑ “I was left a wee bit traumatised after reading A Clockwork Orange in 6th Form English and so was… Continue Reading “A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess”

The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Sonya In 1939 Nazi Germany a young girl with a foster family begins collecting found books and attempting to understand her new reality. ⚑ “The Book Thief was my book choice and I was glad for it, an easy… Continue Reading “The Book Thief – Markus Zusak”

Milkman – Anna Burns

READ FOR BOOKERTHON A young woman is pursued by a renouncer terrorist in 1970s Northern Ireland. ➽ “The unnamed narrator in Milkman is the glue that holds the book together. She is the apolitical in a political novel, the every day logic amongst the… Continue Reading “Milkman – Anna Burns”

The Paying Guests – Sarah Waters

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Jo A love affair and a crime amongst landladies and their tenants, set in post-war Britain. ➽ SPOILER ALERT “Sarah Waters wonderfully sets the scene with her detailed and easy-to-absorb descriptions of the physical and social environment. I really felt as if… Continue Reading “The Paying Guests – Sarah Waters”