Book reviews

The Mirror & The Light

Hilary Mantel

This triumphant conclusion to the gripping Wolf Hall trilogy begins with Anne Boleyn’s end – the blood-sticky stage, her head in red-soaked linen. Richly rewarded by Henry VIII’s favour, Thomas Cromwell is Lord Privy Seal. Whether he’s finding Henry VIII a new queen, ridding the country of heretics or closing down monasteries, Cromwell still spins plates – only his are now painted with scenes of Troy. The book pulsates with the throb of history muddled with myth: Cromwell reflects on Icarus’s ill-fated journey in the skies, and on King Bladud, whose own attempts at flight left him being scraped off the pavement. Characters are complex, descriptions are vivid and the jostling energy of court is masterfully depicted. We hear the constant ticking that is the historical timebomb: Henry VIII’s ability to turn against those closest to him.

9/10

Here We Are

Graham Swift

Compere, performer and Jack-the-lad Jack Robinson has snagged his mate, magician Ronnie (stage name, Pablo) a gig in the Brighton show he’s compere at for the summer season. A total ladies’ man, Jack can’t help but take an interest in magician’s assistant Evie, all feathers and glitz when she’s sawed in half (stage name, Eve). Mellow and nostalgic, Here We Are again is not full of twists and turns – even though it revolves around a love triangle and a mysterious disappearance – but instead, there’s a grace and ease in its storytelling. Swift muses on wartime childhoods, difficult mothers and absent fathers, looks at how much ageing inexorably changes us, and considers what it feels like to look back on a single summer, and rebuild it in your mind. Not a page turner, but a thoughtful, emotive tale, laced throughout with nuance.

7/10

English Monsters

James Scudamore

The dark secrets at the heart of a prestigious boarding school in the English countryside are exposed in the latest novel from journalist and creative writing tutor James Scudamore. It opens in the 1980s, with youngster Max Denyer visiting his beloved grandfather before life as he knows it ends as he enters the school’s cruel regime. English Monsters examines the impact his time there has on him and his friends in the decades after they leave, as the full extent of the abuse suffered begins to emerge. Scudamore is skilled at creating atmosphere, whether of boarding school life with urns of weak milky tea in the steamed-up dining hall, and iron beds in dorms named after battles, or of the fevered atmosphere of 1997 election night London. And despite its grim focus, English Monsters is no misery memoir, but a gripping meditation on class relations and formative friendships.

6/10

Difficult Women: A History Of Feminism In 11 Fights

Helen Lewis

This a history of modern feminism that reclaims the adjective “difficult” as inspiration for the current generation. Lewis ranges across 11 fights, from enfranchisement and education to faking orgasms and the ongoing battles for reproductive autonomy. Most compelling are the lesser-known figures, whose place in the feminist canon Lewis believes has been woefully under-recognised. Such as Erin Pizzey, the woman who set up the first refuge for survivors of domestic abuse, and who now aligns with the male rights movement. As we spin through this charged near-past, Lewis deftly weaves her own story of divorce, remarriage and the increasingly urgent “internal debate” about having a baby. Ultimately it chimes with a resounding clarion call – we are difficult women. Don’t sand our edges away. Celebrate us in all our uneven glory.

8/10

Nine Lives Newton

Alice McKinley

Funny in a way that will appeal to both children and adults alike, this picture book is Alice McKinley’s debut, snapped up by publishers at her graduation show. Newton the dog mistakenly thinks he has nine lives and seems in a hurry to try all his favourite risky things, being as daring as he wants. While Newton is having the time of his life, his cat friend is keeping a watchful eye out for him and suffering some painful consequences. There are some lessons about knowing the full picture and the dangers of recklessness, slyly sneaked into a story that sees Newton just trying to pack in as much fun as he can. The illustrations are a joy, from the expressions on the animals, to clever signs that alert you to what might befall Newton. Children will empathise entirely with the idea of finding yourself in trouble when you were just trying to have a good time.

9/10