Month: March 2015

The Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist 2015

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 10, 2015
8 Comments on The Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist 2015

The longlist for the 2015 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction was released at midnight and I think it is fair to say that it was a surprise. Almost half of the books longlisted hadn’t appeared on any of the blogger prediction posts circulating in the last week or so. I hadn’t even heard of some of them. At this stage I’m not sure if they are stronger than the books suggested, but I’ll find out as I still plan to read many of the books that didn’t make the longlist (Weathering by Lucy Wood, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, The First Bad Man by Miranda July, Euphoria by Lily King, Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum, Summertime by Vanessa Lafaye, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara)

In fact, I am far more excited about reading the books I discovered while researching contenders for the longlist and discussing the likelihood of their success with other bloggers. These books probably need even more attention now they’ve failed to make the longlist so don’t be surprised if I prioritise them over the actual list (below)

The 2015 Baileys Longlist:

Outline by Rachel Cusk

Five words from the blurb: woman, Athens, writing, meeting, indistinct

Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans

Five words from the blurb: evacuated, London, Blitz, disaster, money

Aren’t We Sisters? by Patricia Ferguson

Five words from the blurb: family, secrets, grand, friendship, lodger

I Am China by Xiaolu Guo

Five words from the blurb: London, translator, Chinese, detention centre, letters

Dear Thief by Samantha Harvey

Five words from the blurb: letters, recriminating, friend, rage, forgiveness

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Five words from the blurb: forgetful, mystery, friend, missing, note

Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

Five words from the blurb: Flu, collapse, world, relationships, unexpected

The Offering by Grace McCleen

Five words from the blurb: father, farm, breakdown, memory, rural

The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman

Five words from the blurb: children, cruelties, poor, evil, America

The Girl Who Was Saturday Night by Heather O’Neill

Five words from the blurb: twins, star, documentary, ex-convict, difference

The Bees by Laline Paull

Five words from the blurb: bees, hive, obey, sacrifice, Queen

The Table Of Less Valued Knights by Marie Phillips

Five words from the blurb: Camelot, table, quests, misfits, fantasy

The Walk Home by Rachel Seiffert

Five words from the blurb: laborer, Glasgow, family, betrayal, adrift

A God in Every Stone by Kamila Shamsie

Five words from the blurb: Indian, army, connections, lives, adventure

The Shore by Sara Taylor

Five words from the blurb: islands, sanctuary, methamphetamine, miracle, family

How to be both by Ali Smith

Five words from the blurb: conversation, artist, child, twist, love

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

Five words from the blurb: lodgers, London, unexpected, ex-servicemen, house

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

Five words from the blurb: family, decisions, generations, moments, define

The Life of a Banana by PP Wong

Five words from the blurb: Chinese, London, secrets, violence, family

After Before by Jemma Wayne

Five words from the blurb: immigrant, Rwanda, secrets, disease, demons

What do you think of the longlist?

Which books are you most excited about reading?

The Book of Fathers by Miklós Vámos

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 7, 2015
2 Comments on The Book of Fathers by Miklós Vámos

Translated from the Hungarian by Peter Sherwood

Five words from the blurb: Hungarian, family, generations, gift, epic

The Book of Fathers is an epic piece of historical fiction. It follows twelve generations of first-born sons through 300 years of Hungarian history. The book has been a bestseller throughout Europe, but has had less success here in the UK. This is a shame because it is the sort of thing that fans of historical fiction love.

The Book of Fathers is very readable. It is packed with period detail and has been incredibly well researched. I immediately bonded with the characters and enjoyed learning about Hungarian history. I was especially grateful that everything was explained in sufficient detail for me to understand what was happening, despite knowing little about the country’s history.

Unfortunately as the book progressed I became frustrated by the way the years slipped by so quickly. New characters were continually introduced and I began to lose track of who was who. Each chapter concentrated on a new generation and it began to feel more like a series of short stories. I wish that it had contained a fewer number of sons; enabling us to see each life in greater depth.

Szilard showed him the pocket timepiece and the medallion he guarded with his life. Yanna gave a squeal of joy when the face of her firstborn stared back at her from the gold locket. Richard Stern’s hook of a hand pulled Szilard towards him and the old man’s wet kisses fell upon the boy in a shower. This is how it is with us, though Richard Stern, moved: We keep losing members of the family, only to get them back again in the course of time.

Each son was also blessed with a clairvoyant ability. I was initially worried that this might interfere with the realism of the text, but these concerns proved unfounded as Vámos seemlessly blended the magical realism with the historical fiction. I think those who enjoy reading contemporary fairy tales will appreciate the folklore involved in this story.

I’m pleased that I read The Book of Fathers as I now have a greater knowledge of Central European history, but I’d only read another Vámos if I knew it concentrated on a smaller period of history. Recommended to those who love historical epics, especially when they’re sprinkled with folklore.

I read this for Stu’s Eastern European Month. Head over to his blog for more recommendations from this part of the world.

Tags Hungarian

Orange Prize Other

Who will the longlisted for the 2015 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction?

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 2, 2015
42 Comments on Who will the longlisted for the 2015 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction?

On 10th March the longlist for the 2015 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction will be announced. Previously known as the Orange Prize, it is awarded to the best full length novel, written by a women, that has been published in the UK between 1st April 2014 and 31st March 2015.

I’ve been researching the contenders and predict that the following books will be longlisted next week:

A Song for Issy Bradley by Cays Bray

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Weathering by Lucy Wood

All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

How to be both by Ali Smith

The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall

The First Bad Man by Miranda July

Outline by Rachel Cusk

Euphoria by Lily King

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum

The Chimes by Anna Smaill

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper

After Me Comes the Flood by Sarah Perry

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

What do you think of my selection?

Who do you think will make the Baileys Women’s Prize for fiction longlist?

Uncategorized

February Summary and Plans for March

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 1, 2015
15 Comments on February Summary and Plans for March

February was a disappointing reading month. Most books had great potential at the beginning, but failed to carry the brilliance through to the end. The standout that bucked this trend was Into That Forest by Louis Nowra, a wonderfully atmospheric book about two girls rescued by Tasmanian tigers. I highly recommend that you get hold of a copy!

Book of the Month:

Books Reviewed in February:

Into That Forest by Louis Nowra

Lost and Found by Brooke Davis (audio book)

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North (audio book)

The Darkroom of Damocles by W.F. Hermans

If I Fall, If I Die by Michael Christie

Esperanza Street by Niyati Keni

Ben in the World by Doris Lessing

Plans for March

At the moment I am listening to the audio version of The Martian by Andy Weir and I’m loving it! It combines survival and great science – two of my favourite subjects. I hope to have a review up soon.

I am also taking part in Stu’s Eastern European Month by reading The Book Of Fathers by Miklos Vamos. It’s really good so far, but I’m a bit worried the magical realism is going to take over. I’ll let you know how I found it soon.

Next week I’m going to see David Hempleman-Adams talk at my local library so I’ve got his new book, No Such Thing As Failure: The Extraordinary Life of a Great British Adventurer, to read in advance of the evening. I’m looking forward to hearing him speak, but after seeing the dangerous trips he enjoys I am really glad I’m not his wife!

March is packed with fantastic new releases. I’m lucky enough to have review copies in advance so I will be reading:

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall

I Am Radar by Reif Larsen (I’ve nearly finished this chunkster and it is amazing!)

I also plan to read Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng and The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen.

I have high hopes that this could be the best reading month I’ve had in a long time. Fingers crossed!

I hope you have a fantastic March too!