BOOKS OF THE WEEK
Good Material by Dolly Alderton Fig Tree, £18.99 (ebook £9.99) Review by Lauren Taylor
After the BBC TV adaptation of her bestselling memoir, Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton is firmly back in the fiction camp. Her second novel, Good Material, is a funny and heart-wrenching exploration into a break-up from the viewpoint of D-list comedian Andy Dawson – who has as little clue as the reader about why his corporate high-flier ex, Jen, left him. It hooks you in and keeps you invested, and you’ll connect with the well-meaning and relatable characters. The real beauty of Alderton’s writing, however, is in her comic observations of 30-something modern life, including what we do in the face of hysteria and heartbreak) and the stark realities of relationships ending in your mid-30s.
Christmas By Candlelight by Karen Swan Pan, £8.99 (ebook £2.99) Review by Abi Jackson
The title, cover design and blurb for this book suggest a cosy festive romance – and Christmas By Candlelight certainly delivers on that front, but with some dark and painful twists along the way. Told across two timeframes, we meet Libby as she heads for a pre-Christmas reunion with the university housemates she’s not seen for years. Now a successful city lawyer, flashbacks to the past give a glimpse to how the quiet, working-class Libby became friends with this wealthy, outgoing group – and how the seeds were planted for the tensions and mysteries that quickly arise when they reunite. An entertaining, easy read that provokes thought along the way.
Curepedia by Simon Price WHITE Rabbit Books, £35 Review by Duncan Seaman
Gothic rock has certainly had a resurgence in 2023, with books by John Robb, Cathi Unsworth and Lol Tolhurst, former drummer and keyboard player with The Cure all devoted to the phenomenon. For those yet to be sated, Simon Price’s A-Z of Robert Smith’s long-running band is a goldmine of information, covering everything from the cultural signposts in A Forest to Smith’s lyrical obsession with zoology through songs about cats, caterpillars and spiders. Price’s immersion in their story is impressive, and his writing is always lively, making this the perfect book to dip into for nuggets on Smith’s literary inspirations or details of their many Peel sessions.
Fleetwood Mac Everywhere by Mike Evans Palazzo, £30 Review by Duncan Seaman
The death of singer-songwriter Christine McVie might have ended speculation about further Fleetwood Mac reunions, but as Mick Evans says in this attractively presented history of the band, fascination with one of rock’s most volatile collectives continues to endure. Despite relationship break-ups and personality conflicts, some tremendous music emerged, with songs such as Don’t Stop and Go Your Own Way ever-present today. Evans studiously traces their history album by album, from their beginnings as a blues band fronted by Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer to their all-conquering height with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.