Sample Saturday is when I wade through the eleventy billion samples I have downloaded on my Kindle. I’m slowly chipping away and deciding whether it’s buy or bye. This week, three from the list of books I was looking forward to in 2020:
We Were Never Friends by Margaret Bearman
Summary: Lotti lives under the shadow of her father George Coates, a celebrated Australian painter. When Lotti meets an outcast waif, Kyla, two worlds are set to collide.
I’m thinking: No (although I love that cover).
Life After Truth by Ceridwen Dovey
Summary: At their fifteen-year reunion, a group of Harvard graduates – labouring with early middle age, families, unrealised aspirations and a depressing political climate – rekindle old loves and old resentments.
I’m thinking: Yes (and I best get onto it for Stella Prize purposes).
Verge by Lidia Yuknavitch
Summary: Short stories focused on moments of crisis.
In the water the swimmer feels weightless. The blue of the pool fills her ears and holds her body and shuts out the world. Swimming is her favourite state of being. On land, the swimmer can barely breathe.
I’m thinking: Yes.
Yes to anything by Ceridwen Dovey!
I LOVED her last book and reckon it was overlooked for various prizes. I’m cramming in as much pre-Stella reading as possible, so will get started on it this week.
I don’t know how such a vital talent gets overlooked.
I read the Dovey a little while ago and enjoyed it. Posting my review next week when it’s published here in the UK.
Will look forward to your review (I’m a sucker for books about reunions of university friends!).
I started reading the Dovey and abandoned it… it might have been right book, wrong time but I just found it exceedingly cliched.
I’ve started it. Doesn’t seem as nuanced as Dovey’s other work, but I will push on.
It might have been right book, wrong time for me. Be interesting to see how you get on with it. I’ll likely return to it at some point.
I adored The Chronology of Water so I’d say a big yes to Verge.
Yes, that’s in my TBR stack as well.