Chris Morland

Wow. What a writer, a new one to me. Thanks to the Booker Prize for shining a spotlight. A stunning book about a life of contrasts, quiet and dark in places. It leaves plenty to sit with. We follow István from childhood to middle age, always held slightly apart. The writing brings us close, but do we get under the skin of the lead?. Bit by bit, he comes into focus. Is there a warmth beneath the reserve. Szalay holds back on detail. Conversations trail off, moments go unspoken. You’re trusted to fill the gaps yourself. A rare one. Subtle, unsettling, full of feeling. Stayed with me. And left with strong emotions. Life is a lot.

Pan really creates its own atmosphere, strange, unsettling, and unlike anything else I’ve read. It follows a teenage boy struggling with mental illness, but the book feels more like a dream or hallucination than a typical coming-of-age story. The writing is hazy and intense, capturing the disorienting experience of psychosis in a way that reminded me of Donnie Darko. There’s that same sense of altered reality & cosmic dread. It’s not about mood, distortion and slipping between worlds. Odd, beautiful, terrifying. A unique and totally immersive experience.

"Once Upon a River" by Diane Setterfield, I found a story that flows beautifully. So well written. Love the characters, character development, they make the world the author creates both enchanting and engaging. The central mystery of the girl who returns to life after drowning and those who claim to know her. All is not as it seems... Score 93/100.

Get ready to be transported back to a time before punk rock broke, and a hell of a trip across 30 years at the centre of underground music. As a fan, I never wanted this book to end. It's heavy on the detail: band names, good gigs, bad gigs, record stores, smashed guitars... But I loved that, I would have preferred the long unedited version. I hope we get new volumes in the coming years. Score 9.4/10