Bonfires of the Murdochs by Gabriel Sherman

Goodness knows why I picked this one up, given that I usually do what I can to avoid Murdoch media. However, it was gripping. And in some ways, startling. In other ways, the ruthlessness of it all was entirely predictable.

Many years ago, when I watched Succession, I thought the bits about the children were exaggerated. Now I know that they were absolutely not. And as an added multi-media bonus, after reading this I (by chance) watched the movie, Bombshell, based on the accounts of the women at Fox News who exposed CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. My god.

4/5

The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers

This one had all the ingredients of a book that I was primed to love… but expectations can be a dangerous thing. I liked the writing, I liked the premise (a solid relationship drama/ moral thriller), and I didn’t mind the Sliding-Doors-literary-trickery that Somers employed, but the characters were boring. Flat. Lacking dimension, and lacking the oomph to pull off what was suggested in the blurb. A shame.

2.5/5

News From Dublin by Colm Tóibín

I appreciate Tóibín’s quiet character studies. I also love his small-town focus and attention to the micro-details. I did wonder after reading this whether these skills are best put to work in novels, where the reader can truly invest in a character. In this collection, I felt I’d barely become familiar with a character before the story ended.

There’s always a favourite in a collection – the first story, The Journey to Galway, about a mother’s grief, was exceptional (and had me thinking, if this is the calibre of the book then Oh. My. Gosh). It was truly five stars and as good as you’ll ever get when it comes to a short story.

A Free Man was also excellent – a disturbing but thought-provoking story about a man who is released from jail but not actually ‘free’. The last story, The Catalan Girls, about the lives of three sisters meandered and resulted in a flat ending (to the story and the collection as a whole).

3/5