Book Review: The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands
July 2, 2024
Encompassing many genres, this book pays tribute to gothic, steampunk fantasies, historical fiction and Agatha Christie-esque mysteries.
Encompassing many genres, this book pays tribute to gothic, steampunk fantasies, historical fiction and Agatha Christie-esque mysteries.
A deeply moving story about beauty, horror, trauma and family that is sure to stay with you long after you turn the last page.
Don’t just take our word for it, see our curated list of favourite reviews and see what others are saying about Performance.
Cusk doesn’t seek to create a world – instead, she creates a network that projects out into ours, requiring the reader’s own interpretation.
Many flowing plot threads weave through each other, eventually tying together in the most satisfying, incredible way.
The tender – and revelatory – nature of the pair’s relationship is just one of this incredible novel’s many expertly evoked complexities.
This is a beautiful and heartrending story of love against all odds and the bittersweet impermanence of life
‘My Policeman’ follows the lives of Marion, Patrick and Tom as they navigate the consequences of queer love during an intolerant time.
This is not just a story about solving a mystery: it’s a deeply personal exploration of life’s biggest questions.
Realistic and disgusting details of life are the showstoppers, as is the contrasting glory of the American wilderness.
This is a funny, utterly heartbreaking and incredibly well crafted novel, but it comes with a warning.
More impressionistic than ‘There, There’, this sophomore novel resists the pressure to repeat a winning formula – a pressure to which many breakout novelists succumb.
Each chapter serves as a piece of a montage which gradually expands into a sweeping tale of human failings, delusion and impermanence.
This is the jazz-infused, speculative crime noir mash-up you didn’t know you were looking for! Sparkling with energy and invention.
In this delightfully audacious novel, Mason combines fiction, nature writing, and more to bring a patch of Massachusetts woodland to life.
Cyrus is such a lovable character, even in the throes of his addiction, his view of the world and all it contains is a delight for the reader.
The writing style makes this book – it is direct, while veering off into all sorts of unexpected directions.
This story was utterly captivating! I was steadily drawn into the Girl’s story of human grit, set in the unforgiving American wilderness.
The story follows a wealthy suburban mother. Her erudite, unhinged self-realisation was so relatable, and her singular voice is unforgettable.
Despite the mouth-watering recipes, ironically the main feeling following the characters is one of hunger – for connection, trust, and acceptance.
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