Five new books to read this week

FICTION

Day by Michael Cunningham, hardback by Fourth Estate

Day is the first novel in nearly a decade from

Michael Cunningham, winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Set on April 5 in three successive years – 2019, 2020 and 2021 – it delicately details the relationships of an extended family based in Brooklyn from each person’s point of view. Fractures are starting to show in the family of husband and wife Dan and Isabel. A year on, the world has gone into lockdown and enforced proximity takes its toll. Finally, a year later, we see the impact the pandemic has had on the whole family. Cunningham’s writing is elegant with each person’s fears and desires tenderly described.

Hard By A Great Forest By Leo Vardiashvili, hardback by Bloomsbury

Leo Vardiashvili’s debut novel sees a family separated over time between Tottenham and war-torn Georgia. A father and his two young sons flee their homeland and become refugees in North London, leaving behind the mother. Years later, the father, Irakli, leaves for Georgia, followed by one of the boys, both now fully grown. Protagonist Saba, the last remaining brother in London, travels to Tbilisi to find his family in what turns out to be a kaleidoscopic game of cat and mouse. The book is hampered by frequent cliches but overall is a heartfelt and lively story that is engaging and easy to read.

The Beholders By Hester Musson, hardback by Fourth Estate

Packed with period detail and engaging characters, The Beholders is a thoroughly engrossing Gothic thriller. Feisty, independent-minded housemaid Harriet has come to Finton Hall to wait on the enigmatic Clara Gethin. The house, which is the property of Clara’s MP husband, is as mysterious as its mistress, full of strange objects and ruled by a vicious housekeeper. There are other puzzles too: why is Clara so cold towards her baby son? What happened to Harriet’s predecessor? And why does Clara keep firing housemaids? The main themes take a while to come into focus, but the novel soon becomes a gripping read.

The Showman By Simon Shuster, hardback by William Collins

For decades as a superstar comedian in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky would lampoon the politicians who lived in luxurious mansions while their compatriots, like his own family, struggled to make ends meet. The stand-up comic launched a surprise presidential campaign, winning in 2019. The Showman, crafted by Russia-ukraine expert Simon Shuster throughout a year in close proximity to Zelensky and his government, as well as drawing testimony from his enemies, starts in February 2022 with the comic-turnedfigurehead whisked away from his family to lead the fight against the Russian invasion.

Little Dinosaurs, Big Feelings

By Swapna Haddow, illustrated by Yiting Lee, hardback by Magic Cat Publishing

This is a gentle, unique approach to exploring big feelings with little people. It’s a thoughtfully written collection of 10 short stories to be read together and shared. It’s a great tool to help introduce and explore important emotions with young children. With playful drawings and friendly characters, everyone – irrespective of age – will take something away. The hardback edition is beautifully presented and is sure to be used time and time again to help support families navigate the “big feelings” in the early years.