BOOKS OF THE WEEK
Her by Mira V Shah Hodder, £9.99 (ebook, £2.99) Review by Jacqueline Ling
When Natalie moves into the same street as Rani, she seems to have it all. Rani is an unfulfilled housewife, grappling with low self-esteem and struggling to fit into the wealthy neighbourhood she rents her flat in, whilst Natalie has the perfect husband, house and job. However, as Rani befriends Natalie, the closer she gets the more she realises that this world is not as perfect as it would seem. Natalie is hiding secrets from her past that even she is struggling to uncover. Narrated from the thoughts of both Rani and Natalie, two very different contrasting and complex characters, this psychological thriller is filled with twists and turns that keep you gripped to the very end. You won’t want to put it down.
Central Places by Delia Cai
Merky Books, £9.99 (ebook, £4.99) Review by Kristina Wemyss
Vanity Fair writer Delia Cai takes on themes of racial “passing” and belonging through the Chinese-American experience of her protagonist, Audrey Zhou. On a visit to her parents in Illinois for the first time in eight years, Audrey struggles to reconcile her small-town teenage self with the New Yorker adult she has become. As the borders between Illinois and New York dissipate, so too do those built up between Audrey and the parents who immigrated from Wuhan to raise her. In the midst of her own self-discovery, she also has to choose between her childhood crush and her goldenboy fiancé. It is a simple story, but Cai gives a witty insight into what it is like to navigate life as a young Chinese-American woman.
How They Broke Britain by James O’Brien WH Allen, £20 (ebook, £9.99) Review by Frances Taylor-Cook
From the extensive introduction to the last page, this is a compelling read. O’Brien doesn’t hold any punches when taking the reader through the characters and events populating British society since 2010. It is a book which will make you gasp in shock, shake your head in bewilderment and wonder how any of this was allowed to take place in 21st century Britain. Whilst it would have been easy for the book to become about the author’s frustrations with the governing party since 2010, he has done a great job of keeping it factual, interesting and informative, tracing the role of the press, politicians and commentators and their impact. It’s an easy and fascinating read.
A Very Simple Mind by Derek Forbes McNidder & Grace, £22 Review by Duncan Seaman
At the age of 28, Derek Forbes seemingly had it all. Recently voted Best Bass Player in the World, he was a key songwriting contributor to Simple Minds. Yet no sooner had he bought a farmhouse than he was abruptly sacked for “giving too much attention to my girlfriend, and not nearly enough to the band”. The consequences reverberate throughout this memoir, but there would be later high points with Propaganda, Spear of Destiny and The Alarm and even a shortlived reunion with Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill. Told in a chatty, relatable style, A Very Simple Mind is full of anecdotes on his upbringing in Glasgow, life on the road and encounters with many famous names.