The 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 7, 2014
16 Comments on The 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist

The 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist was announced overnight. I was impressed by the selection. I didn’t feel as though any major novels were left out and it was nice to see a few books that were new to me.

I’ve summarised my thoughts on those I’ve tried and found five words from the blurb for those I haven’t. Enjoy browsing the list!

Books I’ve tried:

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

Five words from the blurb: botanical, explorer, woman, independent, evolution

My favourite 2013 fiction release. Gilbert is so good she can even make a story about moss interesting! I’m hoping this wins the prize.

Eleven Days by Lea Carpenter

Five words from the blurb: mother, soldier, Afghanistan, courage, love

Amazing writing which shows a mother’s relationship with her grown-up son. Fascinating information about US Navy SEAL training and society’s attitude to the armed forces. Highly recommended.

The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

Five words from the blurb: India, brothers, crossroads, haunted, past

Gentle story about two Indian brothers who take different paths in life. It had some good scenes, but didn’t blow me away.

A Girl Is A Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride

Five words from the blurb: experimental, girl, violence, personal, struggle

If you enjoyed Riddley Walker you’re in for a treat! I found the writing style too impenetrable to enjoy, but if you have the patience to persevere I’m sure you’ll be rewarded.

Almost English by Charlotte Mendelson

Five words from the blurb: London, Hungarian, relatives, strange, life

Quirky story about Hungarian family moving to London. Perfect for fans of A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian.

The Bear by Claire Cameron

Five words from the blurb: something, moving, shadows, woods, screams

Narrated by a five-year-old girl, this book was compelling but frustratingly simple.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Five words from the blurb: New York, wealthy, family, self-invention, suspense

I listened to the abridged BBC audio production of this one, but even that dragged! I don’t think Tartt is for me.

MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood

Five words from the blurb: plague, group, survives, bio-engineered, humans

This is the final book in Atwood’s dystopian trilogy. I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy Oryx and Crake (and so won’t be trying this one) but I’ve heard lots of good things so if you’re a fan of her other books then you’ll appreciate this.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Five words from the blurb: Iceland, murderer, remote, farm, execution

Fantastic piece of historical fiction, but I found it lacking the Icelandic mindset.

The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner

Five words from the blurb: fascination, motorcycles, art, dreamers, education, Italy

Fantastic writing, but too disjointed for me. If you have an interest in art or motorcycles you’ll probably love it.

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

Five words from the blurb: New Zealand, goldfield, men, crime, mystery

Well researched ambitious novel, packed with interesting ideas. Unfortunately the pace was too slow for me.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Five words from the blurb: America, Nigeria, experiences, race, relationships

Fantastic characters, but plot was a little too simple for me.

Books that I haven’t tried yet:

The Undertaking by Audrey Magee

Five words from the blurb: German, soldier, Stalingrad, hierarchy, regime

Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen

Five words from the blurb: photographer, herione, unexpected, journey, love

The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout

Five words from the blurb: accident, killed, father, childhood, trouble

The Strangler Vine by M.J. Carter

Five words from the blurb: India, notorious, son, missing, questions

The Dogs of Littlefield by Suzanne Berne

Five words from the blurb: dogs, poisoned, manicured, lawns, Massachussetts

All The Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld

Five words from the blurb: British, farmhouse, beast, sheep, strange

Reasons She Goes to the Woods by Deborah Kay Davies

Five words from the blurb: childhood, escape, woods, mystery, normal

The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto

Five words from the blurb: Pakistan, Afghan, border, war, choices

What do you think of the Baileys Women’s Prize for fiction longlist?

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The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 6, 2014
8 Comments on The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt

Five words from the blurb: female, artist, experiment, conceals, identity

The Blazing World investigates society’s attitude to women; showing how preconceptions affect our opinion of work produced by the different sexes. The book centres on Harriet Burden, an artist who decides to conceal her identity and pretend that her works of art have been created by men. Through a series of texts, compiled after her death, the reader discovers her motivations and how the secret changed the way her art was received.

The writing in this book was fantastic! The book raised important questions about society’s treatment of women and I found myself highlighting many different passages:

It is easy to claim that those who are swept up in these beliefs are ignorant, but belief is a complex mixture of suggestion, mimicry, desire and projection. We all like to believe we are resistant to the words and actions of others. We believe that their imaginings do not become ours, but we are wrong.

Every page was brimming with new ideas and I was interested in events throughout. The fragmented approach meant I wasn’t emotionally invested in the characters, but this didn’t seem to matter. The intelligence of the writing shone through and I enjoyed reading a book that treated the reader with respect; introducing complex thoughts without pausing to explain them. It was more like a collection of essays than a novel, but the concept was so strong that I found myself thinking about certain aspects long after finishing it. This is very unusual for me as I often struggle with books that don’t have a strong narrative thread. It is a testament to the quality of the writing that I remained engaged throughout.

Another thing I loved about the book was the way the Hustvedt referenced herself in it. Authors often come across badly when they try to include themselves in their work, so I was charmed when she described herself as “an obscure novelist and essayist”. I really hope this book provides her with the publicity she needs to gain the wider audience she deserves.

I have no interest in art and I normally dislike books with a fragmented structure, but the quality of the writing overcame these issues. That is a rare occurrence and the reason why I highly recommend this book.

2013

Eleven Days by Lea Carpenter

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 3, 2014
7 Comments on Eleven Days by Lea Carpenter

Five words from the blurb: mother, soldier, Afghanistan, courage, love

I received a review copy of this book last summer, but it didn’t make it to the top of my TBR pile as military stories aren’t normally my thing. Luckily I was persuaded to give it a try by David, one of my regular commenters. He hopes it will make the Baileys’ longlist on Friday and, having now read the book, I agree.

Eleven Days isn’t a typical war novel. It’s a subtle investigation into the mindset of a soldier, showing how the presence of danger affects both those on the battle field and their loved ones many miles away. The book begins in May 2011 with Sara discovering that her son Jason has gone missing during a Special Operations Forces mission in Afghanistan. Through a series of flashbacks the reader discovers Jason’s reasons for joining the Navy and what happened to his father, David. It also shows the mixed emotions of a mother desperate to hear the truth about where her son is.

The writing quality was superb – it captivated me and took me on an emotional roller-coaster, without ever becoming sentimental. Tension was built in a subtle way, but this never felt like the main objective of the book. Instead it questioned the way society thinks about its armed forces; showing a spectrum of opinion through clever use of characters caught in their own uncertain turmoil.

Most people might concede the merits of World War I or Korea but be unable to identify the details. And most people, in the abstract, prefer butter to guns, but most mostly prefer not to think about it all. Has it always been that way? Does a public’s opinion rise and fall like a stock on the occasion of new information and new numbers – of dead, of days fighting, of the change in the price of gas? More likely it fluctuates with something more banal and abstract: the length of their attention span.

I loved the way this book avoided graphic images of war and violence. Instead it focused on military training, showing how soldiers adapt to harsh environments before heading out to a war zone. The detailed descriptions of US Navy SEAL training were fascinating to read and it was interesting to learn that mental training is given the same priority as physical fitness.

It also perfectly captured the relationship between a mother and her grownup son, showing the difficulty of letting him learn from his mistakes and the grief of no longer being the person in control of his life.

I’ve read lots of war stories, but Lea Carpenter somehow managed to capture a fresh angle on the subject. I made a mistake in leaving it out of my Baileys’ Fiction Prize longlist prediction last week. It deserves to be on the list and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the judges recognise its brilliance.

Other

February Summary and Plans for March

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 1, 2014
10 Comments on February Summary and Plans for March

February was a reasonable reading month for me. There were lots of enjoyable books, but nothing stood out above the others. This means that for the first time ever there is no book of the month. 🙁

Books Reviewed in February:

Hope: A Tragedy by Shalom Auslander

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Wetlands by Charlotte Roache

Traveller of the Century by Andrés Neuman

The Dig by Cynan Jones

Barracuda by Christos Tsiolkas

Season to Taste by Natalie Young

A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe

Plans for March

In preparation for the announcement of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction I’m reading as many contenders as possible. I’ve just finished The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt (review coming soon) and am half way through Eleven Days by Lea Carpenter and Good Kings, Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum. I then plan to try The Tell-tale Heart by Jill Dawson and any other interesting book that gets a mention in the run up to the prize. Once the longlist is announced I plan to try any that are new to me and mix them with a few of these books:

Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

From the Fatherland With Love by Ryu Murakami

The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan

Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc

I hope you have a wonderful March!

Tags Monthly Summary, Summary

2000 - 2007 Non Fiction Uncategorized

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Post author By Jackie
Post date February 27, 2014
4 Comments on In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Five words from the blurb: whaleship, sinking, crewmen, dramatic, survival

In the Heart of the Sea is an account of the events that inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick. In 1820 the whaleship Essex was attacked by a spermwhale. By combining historical narratives, Philbrick gives a shocking insight into the plight of the twenty crewmen who escaped into lifeboats in the middle of the Pacific. It is a gripping story that shows what happens to the human body when it is starved of food and water, but it is also a chilling reminder of what people are capable of doing in order to survive.

I found the first third of this book slow going. This was because it gave a solid introduction to the whaling industry – facts I was already familiar with from reading the outstanding Leviathan by Philip Hoare. I can’t fault this section and don’t feel it should have been written differently, it is just unfortunate in being the second to inform me of these facts.

Luckily the story quickly began to take a route I was unfamiliar with. The book clearly explained what life at sea was like and I was gripped to the adventure, willing the men to survive. The details of what happened to them as they became dehydrated were disturbing to read, but I also found them strangely fascinating:

Morning came quickly and, with it, a return to the agonies of hunger and thirst. They were now so severely dehydrated that they had begun to lose the ability to speak. “Relief,” Chase wrote, “must come soon, or nature would sink.” They wandered the beach like ragged skeletons, pausing to lean against trees and rocks to catch their breath. They tried chewing the waxy green leaves of the shrubs that grew in cliffs, but they were bitter to taste. They found birds that made no attempt to escape when they plucked them from their nests. In the crevices of the rocks sprouted a grass that, when chewed, produced a temporary flow of moisture in their mouths. But nowhere did they find fresh water.

The period detail was fantastic and the life of a whaler was brought vividly to life. I also liked the way it documented what happened to the women who had been left behind on Nantucket. Their independent life was inspiring to read, showing how a community coped without men in a time when many thought it wrong/impossible.

If you like historical fiction packed with adventure then this is for you. The fact it is all true only adds to its brilliance.

Orange Prize Other Uncategorized

Who will the longlisted for the 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction?

Post author By Jackie
Post date February 25, 2014
39 Comments on Who will the longlisted for the 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction?

On 7th March the longlist for the 2014 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 2013 and 31st March 2014.

It has been an amazing year for female writers and I found it very easy to think of books that deserve a place on the list. Narrowing it down to a shortlist will be very tricky, but here are the books that I predict will make the longlist: