The New Life
The New Life by Tom Crewe. This is an astonishingly assured debut – set in 1890s London, it is the story of two Victorian marriages forged outside of all societal expectations. Crewe’s sticky, buttoned-up London in late summer is a blazingly consummate evocation of time and place, studded with some truly erotic hand grenades thrown in for good measure. A kind-of fin de siecle Alan Hollinghurst is not too wide-of-the mark. – Andy
The Passengers by Will Ashon. Are you listening to this book? Open it, hold it close and you will hear voices from the lives of others – people from round your way or down the shops, perhaps. All of them fellow passengers with a secret, a memory that may resemble your own. Shocking, funny and absolutely fucking heartbreaking. More, please. – Jack
The Fall of Boris Johnson: The Full Story by Sebastian Payne. “Hasta la Vista, Baby!” In July 2022, this final sign-off concluded Boris Johnson’s turbulent three-year, 44-day [2019-2022] British Prime Ministership. A celebrity politician who had planned a 10-year dynasty in power was brought undone by numerous scandals, most notably the COVID lockdown breach dubbed “Partygate”, which saw him fined
by the police. Other sins were a chaotic method of governing, “blagging his way through”, lack of attention to detail, miscommunication and no real support. Despite Johnson’s electoral success and his “getting Brexit done” mantra, once divisions within the government spread to the Cabinet, he was doomed. A lively and detailed account of a Prime Ministership that was always destined – the author suggests – to come to a sticky end. – Stephen
Bulldozed: Scott Morrison’s Fall and Anthony Albanese’s Rise by Niki Savva. Contrary to revenge traditionally being a dish served cold, Niki Savva’s merciless dissection of Scott Morrison – the
Prime Minister, his personality, his decaying government, its electoral demise and the advent of Anthony Albanese is served up piping hot. She despises Morrison – “a deeply flawed personality, a duplicitous, damaged leader with limited horizons and appalling judgment” – as well as the current right-wing populist complexion of the Liberal Party. Morrison’s political decline is contrasted with a professional Labor Party campaign that learnt from the mistakes of 2019 and was united with a single-minded pursuit of power. Her unrivalled access to Canberra insiders and gossip makes this a detailed, compelling narrative. – Stephen
Loaded by Christos Tsiolkas. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed The Slap, Barracuda, Merciless Gods, and Damascus, I thought it was about time I read Tsiolkas’ debut. I can see now that his writing has always been as unapologetically fierce as it is melancholy and reflective. Nineteen years old, Greek, and increasingly disillusioned with white Australia, Ari’s inner monologue takes a swipe at you through the page as he tries to drown his despair in drugs and casual sex. It is rare to read from the perspective of a queer character who so wholeheartedly embraces toxic masculinity, leaving him in a near constant state of rage and lust. Despite his pessimistic and often hateful observations, my heart bled for Ari, struggling to find purpose in a world that makes him feel both unlovable and unable to love. – Ange
Saha by Cho Nam-joo. Saha is a wave of vignettes, of people layered one over the other, sketching out the inequality and tragedy of the world they live in. The titular Saha estate houses people who don’t fit into the carefully controlled and refined Town. They’ve built a community on the outskirts, one whose existence both confirms and defies Town’s power. Their strength lies in the small acts of courage and compassion that hold their community together. Over the course of the novel, the mysteries of this world unfold to reveal the bitter past, and the smallest glimpse of a future beyond Saha. Melancholy and atmospheric. – Tilda