I’ve been working hard, writing and editing novels this year, and there’s not been enough time for reading. I have an enviable skyscraper of a TBR pile that I can’t wait to dip into. Summer time is perfect for dipping into exciting new reads and posting a few recommendations.

Watch this space.

So, I need a swing seat. Or a hammock. A sparkling water. A hat. Sunshine. And a book.

I may have already recommended Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield, published in 2018. The story is about a mysterious girl who returns to life after drowning in the River Thames. It’s an example of storytelling at its finest. I adored it.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang may not be everyone’s cup of tea, as it was called “very extreme and bizarre” by the South Korean audience when it first came out. But I thought it was wonderful.

It’s the story of a woman who decides to stop eating meat after a series of dreams, as the title suggests. It’s written very cleverly and stylishly, in three parts, with three narrators in both first and third person, and past and present tense.

I read it in one sitting and marvelled at it, from beginning to end. A great example of writing. Exciting, page-turning, and at times a bit harrowing.

Like all great novels, the characters and plot stayed with me after I’d finished the last page. I’d be really keen to know what some of my friends think about it…but it comes highly recommended from me.

Finally, I read Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi. It’s the story of a woman who refuses to clear away coffee cups at work every day, so she tells everyone she’s pregnant to avoid doing the sexist jobs given to her.

Only she isn’t pregnant.

Her life is monotonous and unfulfilling – a void – until she tells the lie. The diary shows each week of her pregnancy, how the ‘lie’ unfolds and how her initiative changes her life.

 The book was labelled ‘subversive,’ ‘hilarious’ and ‘feminist’ by reviewers. I didn’t really think it was any of those, but it was enjoyable. Tightly written, pacy and plausible, it was easy to read, and so I read it in one sitting.

It didn’t hit a social commentary button for me, and I think I’d have liked it a lot more if I’d engaged with the central character. But that’s just me. Ms. Shibata does a lot of observing from the outside and we don’t really get stuck into what motivates her to do as she does, beyond the annoying coffee cups.

 But it’s an interesting read and I think people will enjoy it a lot. Perhaps I wanted a more relatable heroine. Or a more subversive one. Or one who was funnier. But you’ll applaud her pluck and her resolve. The storyline and the ending are well conceived. And the translation is very good indeed.

Give it a go. It won the Dazai Osamu Prize. You’ll probably love it.

More book reviews to follow. If you’ve read any of these and you have any thoughts, let me know.