Last week I posted: The Best Books of 2014?: Authors We Know and Love

This week it is time for the debut authors. 

Here are the 2014 releases that caught my eye:

You Disappear by Christian Jungersen

Five words from the blurb: teacher, accident, tumor, fraud, brain

You Disappear investigates brain injuries, free-will and what makes up our true self. Scientific research is wrapped up in a compelling psychological drama, packed with twists. You Disappear was originally published in Denmark, but will be available in English for the first time next year. 

We Used to Be Kings by Stewart Foster

Five words from the blurb: boy, madness, 1970s, free, space

We Used to be Kings is the story of a young boy’s descent into madness. It promises to be funny and heartbreaking, whilst also letting us reminisce about the 1970s. 

The Giraffe’s Neck by Judith Schalansky

Five words from the blurb: biology, teacher, Darwin, climate, depopulation

A wonderfully cruel central character? A husband’s obsession with breeding ostriches? A biology teacher educating children about evolution and climate issues? Sounds like a fantastic mix of ideas!

When Mr Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan

Five words from the blurb:  Tourette’s, year, live, swearing, stressed

This book is described as a cross between The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, but with Tourette’s. I haven’t read a book containing a character with Tourette’s before so I’m interested to see how it’s handled. 

Black Moon by Kenneth Calhoun

Five words from the blurb: stopped, sleeping, panic, desperation, gift

Black Moon describes a world without sleep. It is such a simple concept, but it sounds like it will be a wonderfully compelling read.

The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane

Five words from the blurb:  psychological, battle, unequal, particular, women 

This book has been getting more advance praise than any other 2014 release. The hype for this book is going to explode soon. I’m looking forward to finding out how a simple story about two women living together can cause so many people such excitement!

Tristano by Nanni Balestrini

Five words from the blurb: computer, re-sorts, novel, lovers, destiny

Balestrini isn’t a debut novelist, but he isn’t very well known in the UK. Tristano is an experimental novel which was first published in Italy in 1966. It is comprised of  ten chapters, each with the fifteen pairs of paragraphs. These are then randomly ordered in each copy of the printed book; meaning that no reader has the same experience. I’m not sure it will work, but I’m intrigued to find out!

Look Who’s Back by Timur Vermes

Five words from the blurb: Hitler, 2011, YouTube, viral, star

Hitler reappearing in 2011 and becoming a YouTube star? It’s such a mad idea! I really need to know why so many German people loved this book!

Other books to look out for:

Above by Isla Morley

The Year of the Rat by Clare Furniss

The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit

The Year of the Rat by Clare Furniss

 A Song for Issy Bradley by Carys Bray

Gretel and the Dark by Eliza Granville

The Kept by James Scott

The Bear by Claire Cameron

The Visitors by Rebecca Mascull

Do you like the sound of these books?

Which 2014 books are you looking forward to?

 Translated from the German by Anthea Bell

Back to Back by Julia Franck

Five words from the blurb: Jewish, Berlin, political, loneliness, dreams

Back to Back is a quiet, reflective novel set in East Berlin during the 1960s. It is beautifully written with some evocative scenes showing the trauma inflicted on children who are ignored by their parents. These issues are mirrored in the problems faced by the population as a whole; people who are trapped behind the Berlin wall.

Unfortunately it was too slow for me and the book was so bleak that I failed to bond with any of the characters. There were a few wonderful scenes, but the narrative was disjointed and failed to engage me. If you enjoy books for poetic writing alone then you’ll love this one.

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Sex and the Citadel by Shereen El Feki

Five words from the blurb: intimate, life, Arab, social, relations

Two weeks ago the Guardian First Book Award shortlist was announced and Sex and the Citadel was the only one I hadn’t tried. Intrigued by the title (and the quality of the other books on the list) I decided to order a copy from the library.

Shereen El Feki was born in England to a Muslim father and Christian mother. She moved to Canada in childhood, but spent her holidays in Egypt. Her understanding of both Eastern and Western culture gives her a special insight into the differences between the two. In this book she speaks to Egyptian people about their sexual lives. She uncovers changing attitudes and examines the way these reflect the politics and economic policies of the modern day.

I loved the introduction to this book! It was funny and warm and gave me a fantastic insight into the differences between Egyptian culture and my own. Unfortunately the rest of the book wasn’t as entertaining. It was a fantastic piece of research, but the facts and figures bored me after a few while. I was already familiar with most of the history/politics and sadly the information on rape, marriage & homosexuality didn’t surprise me. If you are interested in social history then you’ll probably love it, but I’m afraid the broad overview was enough for me.

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 Translated from the German by Philip Boehm

The Hunger Angel by Herta Müller

Five words from the blurb: Russia, hunger, bleak, camp, life

The Hunger Angel is set in 1945 and focuses on Leo, a man forced to work in a Russian labour camp shovelling coal. He is starving and suffering immense pain, but he keeps himself alive by thinking about his grandmother’s positive words.

This book was beautifully written, but unrelentingly bleak. There was a distance to the writing that meant I failed to bond to Leo and this meant the descriptions of his suffering had no impact on me. I’m sad to say that I became bored. I longed for a narrative drive or some lighter sections to break up the unrelenting darkness of it all. It is important to know about what went on, but I’m afraid I found it too depressing. 

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