Yep, running out of time to draw a line under the reviews for the year. Some of these I’ve been meaning to write for eleven months. Lucky it doesn’t actually matter…

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

I read this at the beginning of the year, around the same time as a few other stories about grieving, and honestly, I couldn’t write another word about how much I cried (it was a lot). This novel focused on best friends, one of whom has terminal cancer. As well as crying, I also laughed – Newman’s capture of friendship, the banter, and the way that old friends have an unwritten shorthand was wonderful.

4/5

Wifedom by Anna Funder

It is difficult to describe how clever and compelling this book is. It’s partly memoir and partly a biography of Eileen O’Shaughnessy, who was married to George Orwell (be warned – it’s hard to finish this book with any impression other than ‘Orwell was a real arsehole’). Funder manages to blend memoir and biography by questioning what it takes to be a writer, and what it is to be a wife.

I am always impressed by Funder’s writing style – she’s economic with words but descriptive when appropriate. For example, there’s a chapter in the book titled ‘Strawberries’ – it’s ostensibly about Eileen making strawberry jam, yet it reveals much more: a country on the brink of war, Orwell’s belligerence, and Eileen’s inner struggles. The detail has stayed with me because it is such beautiful writing about ordinary things.

4/5

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Every so often I read a book that prompts me to call my best reading buddy to say, “You have to read this. Immediately. I need to debrief.” This was such a book. Reminded me of Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur in terms of the screwed up mother-daughter relationship, although McCurdy’s mother makes Brodeur’s look like amateur-hour. In short, the story is astounding, and a good reminder that violence comes in many forms.

4/5

A Kind of Magic by Anna Spargo-Ryan

Spargo-Ryan’s memoir about her mental health is an important one, and it deserves all the praise it gets. She’s brutally honest, and funny, and unfiltered in a way that means her story will resonate with many people (particularly those living with someone suffering anxiety or depression).

Research about memory, and an exploration of how the healthcare system manages mental illness sits alongside Anna’s personal experience. It exposes a few difficult facts – that there’s no ‘one solution’ to make mental illness ‘go away’; that it’s often two steps forward and ten steps back; and that finding the right people to have on your side is absolutely critical.

4/5

My Husband by Maud Ventura

It took me a bit to get into the (suffocating) rhythm of My Husband, but once I did I was engrossed because I couldn’t predict where Ventura was going to take me. I’m loathe to reveal too much about this story but the twist – and it comes when you least expect it – was a complete surprise.

3/5