CONTEMPORARY

SARA LAWRENCE ANIMAL by Lisa Taddeo

(Bloomsbury £16.99) THIS addictive literary thriller is my read of the year. Unique and brutally honest, narrator Joan is both victim and perpetrator as she takes us on a wild ride through the shame and sadness which characterise her existence. This is about abuse, control and power — and is raging, shocking and thought-provoking.

SNOWFLAKE by Louise Nealon

(Manilla Press £12.99) BEFORE she arrived at university, protagonist Debbie lived with her depressed, agoraphobic mother and eccentric uncle on their farm. Socially awkward but desperate to fit in, Debbie is dazzled by city life but also struggling with the family problems left behind.

A beautifully written, emotionally intelligent comingof-age story which is wonderful for mental health. NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS by Patricia Lockwood (Bloomsbury Circus £14.99) I HAD no idea when I reviewed this debut in January that it would be shortlisted for the Booker. I’m thrilled for the American author, an acclaimed poet born in a trailer, because this high-concept, often weird but absolutely accessible book about cancellation and homogenised internet opinion is full of wisdom.

Brilliantly different.