Bridgerton fans will love Queen Charlotte

Pick of the best new fiction and non-fiction

2023-05-27 -

FICTION

SMALL WORLDS Caleb Azumah Nelson Viking, £14.99 (ebook £9.99)

Having won the Costa First Novel Award and Debut of the Year at the British Book Awards for Open

Water, Caleb Azumah Nelson follows up with another sensitive, delicate gem. In this comingof-age story,

Stephen is falling in love with his best friend Del and falling out with his father over his path in life. Set over three summers, in South London and Ghana, Stephen begins to understand the dynamics of family, how community is built and how to find his way back to his father. There’s a nice irony to how someone so articulate in his head can be so unable to say what he feels to the people who matter in his life. Music weaves its way through the book. There’s also a musical essence to the writing, as refrains are studded through the text and themes emerge and circle back. The publishers should create a Spotify playlist so you could immerse yourself in the sounds and music Stephen loves.

9/10

QUEEN CHARLOTTE

Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes Piatkus, £22 (ebook £12.99)

Fans of the Bridgerton Netflix series or original books will be familiar with the character of Queen Charlotte – and now historical romance author Julia Quinn has fleshed out her backstory, in a new collaboration with producer Shonda

Rhimes. The story takes us back to the 1700s, when Charlotte – a woman of colour from Germany – is brought to England to marry King George. Told from a variety of perspectives, it follows Charlotte navigating the British court – one which is not particularly open to non-white princesses – while falling in love with her new husband and discovering a dark truth. It has all the elements of a classic period romance – headstrong women, ball scenes, gossip galore – so will be familiar territory for fans of the genre.

However, it does deal with quite serious issues – racism, mental illness and sexual assault – with perhaps too light a touch, which might be a bit unnerving for some readers. It will no doubt be a hit with Bridgerton fans keen to dive further into the show’s universe, but others might find it somewhat lacking.

THE GUEST Emma Cline

6/10

Chatto & Windus, £18.99 (ebook £8.99)

Aloof and mysterious Alex is a young

20-something, masquerading as a wealthy woman on Long Island. After she’s been kicked out of the house she was staying in, she decides to stay on the island – and what follows feels like a tale of the ultimate grifter. Doused in ambiguity and foreboding, we get to see much of the world alongside Alex, but the elusive third-person voice of this book is unsettling, with nothing ever feeling quite as you may want it to. It’s an engaging yarn, and Alex is a purposefully dislikeable protagonist. And yet her total lack of redeeming features feels misleading – even when we should empathise with her, we’re left bitter and confused by her actions. Beautiful language and imagery can only get you so far in a novel where no character feels quite whole.

6/10

NON-FICTION

THE ROOSTER HOUSE: A UKRAINIAN FAMILY MEMOIR Victoria Belim

Virago, £20 (ebook £11.99)

With the war in Ukraine dominating the news, Victoria Belim’s family memoir could not be a more timely exploration of the country’s difficult Soviet past. During a 2014 visit to her grandmother, amid Russia annexing Crimea, the writer learns of an unknown uncle – Nikodim – who disappeared in the 1930s “fighting for a free Ukraine”. Belim’s determination to uncover his fate triggers a moving personal journey unravelling complex family relationships, secrets and memories. She takes us into the homes of rural Ukrainians, illuminating their hopes, fears, struggles and traditions. Belim’s love of the country and its people stands out in her sensitive depiction of their stoicism, hospitality and bonds amid the pressures of a post-Soviet state bureaucracy and economy. This honest and passionate book provides a beautiful insight into a nation beyond war headlines.

CHILDREN’S BOOK

ACE AND THE ANIMAL HEROES: THE BIG FARM RESCUE

JB Gill

7/10

Puffin, £7.99 (ebook £4.99)

The book’s main character, Ace, is a young boy who lives with his eccentric and loving grandparents. Their colourful characters play a big part in the story, helping keep it very entertaining for any young child. Ace inherits a run-down farm and with the help of his grandparents and a new best friend, he takes to it like a duck to water. With a few tricks up his sleeve – including a special pair of boots – Ace and his gang must get the farm into a good state, or risk losing it to the evil councillor. A fun read: highly recommended.

9/10