Book Review: Wandering Stars
May 31, 2024
More impressionistic than ‘There, There’, this sophomore novel resists the pressure to repeat a winning formula – a pressure to which many breakout novelists succumb.
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.
There is a simple and meditative quality to the narration that contrasts with the complexity of what is being written.
Wallace’s ingenious use of metaphor is poetic and powerful, as is the roar and the restraint in these pages.
Tremor is a genre-bending gem that transcends traditional boundaries, dancing between fiction and non-fiction, storytelling and academia.
A wholly immersive read and a fascinating insight into pirate life! Great for fans of other woman-centric historical fiction.
As I followed Sonia through the everyday mundanity, gruelling work, and some unsavoury characters, her racetrack became its own little city.
A remarkable book, moving, fascinating, thought-provoking and short enough you’ll want to read it again the moment you finish.
I spent most of this book sitting in discomfort and rage and that desperate yearning to understand oneself.
Deborah Levy is absolutely brilliant and has encapsulated this intelligent coming-of-age story with wit and charm.
Don’t be fooled by the title – the stories show how sometimes our yearning to be ‘single, carefree, mellow’ can often make us anything but.
A sweeping, intergenerational novel, that has the strength and complexity of women (and their relationships) at its core.
The writing is raw as rotting flesh, & as sweet as vomit. If you want to feel like you’ve woken up from a coma then this is the book for you.
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