Four new books to read this week

FICTION James

by Percival Everett, hardback by Mantle, £20 (ebook £9.99)

James is a powerful retelling of The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn from slave Jim’s perspective. It broadly follows the same Bildungsroman storyline as the original, as Jim escapes with Huck – you’ll recognise characters like con men Prince and Duke and various others. But this puts Jim’s story up front, showing the brutal reality of being a slave. It’s a sharp novel from Booker-shortlisted Everett – dark humour is found in the way slaves code-switch with language, dumbing themselves down around white people. You may think you know Huck Finn’s story but this version breathes new life into it with unexpected twists and turns making it a must-read. 9/10

The Familiar

by Leigh Bardugo, hardback by Viking, £20 (ebook £10.99)

Luzia Cotado is a scullion in Madrid where she toils in the kitchen, longing for a step up. The only hope she has is her magic, which she uses sparingly so as not to attract attention. But hiding only lasts so long, and when the socially ambitious mistress of the household discovers her powers, Luzia’s life takes a different turn. Suddenly she’s performing for nobility and the socially upward, no longer scrubbing pots. But everything has a price, as she soon learns. The Familiar is spellbinding. The story moves at pace, with characters who captivate you. The only question for Bardugo is: please deliver more. Surely the magic can’t stop here. 8/10

The Amendments

by Niamh Mulvey, hardback by Picador, £16.99 (ebook £8.99)

Mulvey’s debut novel has a sharp premise – sandwiched between the consequences of the Eighth Amendment in the 1980s, and its repeal around six years ago when the Irish public said yes to changes on abortion law. The consequences of the legislation, which had enshrined “the equal right to life of the pregnant woman and the unborn”, sit in the background and instead it explores how women, Nell, whose partner Adrienne is expecting a child, her mother Dolores, and religious group member Martina, grappled with cultural changes. The subject matter and storytelling does draw you in, but the lack of distinction between the separate points of view detracts. 6/10

NON-FICTION Knife

by Salman Rushdie, hardback by Jonathan Cape, £20 (ebook £10.99)

Sir Salman Rushdie was left with life-changing injuries, including losing sight in one eye, following a violent knife attack ahead of a lecture in August 2022. In his new book, Knife: Meditations After An Attempted Murder, Sir Salman recounts his experience of the near-fatal incident and the aftermath, which includes a cancer scare not long after he was repeatedly stabbed. It is a seeringly honest account, including the highs and lows of the long months on a path to recovery. But through it all, the power of love, resilience and his extraordinary way with words shines through. The result is a powerful and poignant read. 8/10