Anna Leach
Symbolic Lyricism - Man Booker Shortlist 2008
As a beautiful young woman, Roseanne is surrounded and shaped by men. Not to labour the comparison, but as the country of Ireland, or Eíre, is often represented as a woman, it is not difficult to see parallels.
One of our decade’s quintessential stories
What really sets this novel above other material on America is the tone of it – which far from being angry or boring – has a fragile and almost fairytale quality.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Hamid redeems a plot that could be a political documentary synopsis, taking it compassionately and beautifully into the realm of literature, affording us a richer, wiser and more permanent view of one of our decade’s quintessential stories.
The Inheritance of Loss - Orange Prize 2007 SHORTLISTED
The marketing kitsch-up describes the book as ‘a radiant, funny and moving family saga… described by reviewers as “the best, sweetest, most delightful novel”’. Yes, there are various families involved, but there was little that was sweet or delightful about marital rape, racism and street massacres.
The Book Thief
Death and, for the Western World, the Holocaust in particular, is a negation of words: silent and indescribable. So for Zusak to give a voice, especially such a distinctive and whimsical voice, to the quintessential concept of nothingness, is essentially a nice surprise.
