Search results for ""Naoise Dolan" "Exciting Times""

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Book Synopsis''The book of the summer ... Kept me rapt until the final page'' THE TIMES''A sharp, smart, witty modern love story. I loved it'' David Nicholls, author of ONE DAY''More than lives up to the hype ... Likely to fill the Sally-Rooney-shaped hole in many readers'' lives'' IRISH TIMES''Droll, shrewd and unafraid - a winning debut'' Hilary Mantel, author of WOLF HALL''I''ve been pushing Exciting Times on everyone I know. Some of Dolan''s pithy observations of her characters are the best I''ve read since Edward St Aubyn'' OBSERVER''A frankly sensational book'' Pandora Sykes on THE HIGH LOW''In the tradition of Dorothy Parker, Joan Rivers and Nora Ephron ... I found myself purring with pleasure. ...ThisTrade ReviewI had real fun with EXCITING TIMES. It is a very funny, spiky, Marxist, feminist comedy and it's really mean. * Zadie Smith *Droll, shrewd and unafraid - a winning debut * Hilary Mantel, author of WOLF HALL *Fiercely intelligent, brutally funny and written with such heart, EXCITING TIMES announces an impressive new voice in literature.Witty, compelling and with a razor-sharp social commentary. I guzzled it. -- Pandora SykesA modern love story ... astute, sardonic and highly emotionally aware ... Heralding for sure a new star in Irish writing * Irish Times *EXCITING TIMES more than lives up to the hype ... Likely to fill the Sally-Rooney-shaped hole in many readers' lives. * Irish Times *Dazzling ... So brilliantly executed ... Coming-of-age love is told in technicolour ... Banging lines follow banging lines. Your underlining pen destroys the pages ... With EXCITING TIMES comes a rare and indeed exciting talent, a cacophony of our times, a treat for the socially distanced * Irish Independent *Lucky us ... EXCITING TIMES will brighten lockdown ... Very funny ... Extremely sharp ... Insightful and raw * Observer *A funny, smart, contemporary love story. Perfect for fans of Sally Rooney and Emma Jane Unsworth * Sunday Times Style *The funniest writer you will read this year... Every page crackles ... Very funny ... Ultimately a very moving story, one that occupies a small sliver of time and space, but manages a lasting emotional tinnitus ... Naoise Dolan is not the new anyone. She's entirely herself, and that's plenty * Sunday Life, Irish Independent *A sharp, funny account of a contemporary relationship, told tenderly and with biting, bright insight.Hands down one of the most anticipated debuts of the year ... A piercingly provocative look at modern love and power games. * BookRiot *A funny, smart and sensitive exploration of love, privilege and bisexuality that had me gripped from the first page. Dolan's sentences are like a splash of cold water to the faceDevastatingly perceptive and articulate. It's a joy to encounter a book so compulsively readable and painfully funny while simultaneously deeply insightful on love, on sexuality, on social class, on their links as terribly inextricable in the 21st century as they ever were. Dolan is a major talent and this is a formidable debutThis is icily brilliant stuff. A poised and surgical examination of class, sex, language and self-making, with some flat-out enviable jokesRead if you like ANIMALS by Emma Jane Unsworth, TRICK MIRROR by Jia Tolentino, THE BELL JAR by Sylvia Plath * Sunday Times Style *Brilliantly funny, surgically sharp, furiously political. Expect to hear lots about EXCITING TIMES next yearForensically brilliant - an elegant and painfully funny portrait of greed and hunger, love and indifferenceSo wry, witty and insightfulDolan's debut lives up to the hype, a hypnotic tale -- Sarah Hughes * The i newspaper *We're really, um, excited about this sharp, smart debut * Red magazine *A modern love story that will live with you long after you've finished it -- Molly Aitken author of THE ISLAND CHILDFollowing the love triangle between three expats living in Hong Kong, EXCITING TIMES dissects the financial and personal transactions that make up life * Platinum magazine *This debut from Dolan explores a love affair between an English teacher and a banker in Hong Kong and the lawyer who blows the whole thing sky-high. Definitely one to watch. * Stylist, 'Best new books for 2020' *Finance, sex, cynicism and unspoken feelings are swirled together in a can labelled 'Hong Kong' in this modern love triangle * Irish Independent *Among the most hotly tipped debut authors for 2020 * The Bookseller *EXCITING TIMES is more caustic and cynical than Rooney's writing, if just as clever ... All the fretting over love and class could be compared to Austen or Wharton, but her light treatment of bisexuality and polyamory is utterly 2020 * Guardian *Meet the new Sally Rooney... That might sound like hyperbole but this tale brings fresh and on-point insights into modern love that'll make it a hit with lovers of NORMAL PEOPLE * Stylist *2020 is set to be a huge year for Naoise Dolan * Irish Examiner *Echoes of Sally Rooney's CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS resound in this exacting debut novel * Oprah magazine *Ice cool, self aware and very funny. Shades of Lorrie Moore and THE BELL JAR. * Graham Norton *Dry, sharp, meticulously observed ... A frankly sensational book that's flawlessly executed * Pandora Sykes on The High Low *Half Sally Rooney love triangle, half glitzy CRAZY RICH ASIANS high living - and guaranteed to please * Vogue, 'Books We Cant Wait to Read in 2020' *An effervescent snapshot of millennial, attachment-avoidant dating * Daily Mail *Constant, breezy fun * Telegraph *A love story about three expats in Hong Kong - teacher Ava, banker Julian, and the alluring Edith - and explores the nuances and uncertainties of modern love * Cosmopolitan, 'Best Books of 2020' *EXCITING TIMES is a joy from start to finish, and the perfect balm for these times-fresh, funny, sharp. Everyone should read it right now. A literary and hilarious tour de force. * Katherine Heiny, author of Standard Deviation * From the opening page, Ava's voice is electrifying and frequently very funny; Naoise Dolan's debut novel really is as good as everyone says it is. * Irish Times *I wouldn't be surprised if it emerges as the book of the summer... A rich, sharply witty story made out of the frictions and complexities of young love ... Kept me rapt until the final page * The Times *I've been pushing Exciting Times on everyone I know: it is the perfect blend of caustically clever and emotionally engaging. Some of Dolan's pithy observations of her characters are the best I've read since Edward St Aubyn * Observer *I tore through EXCITING TIMES, a sharp, smart, witty modern love story. I loved it * David Nicholls *THIS BOOK!!!! It's as BRILLIANT as everyone says!!!! I DEVOURED it and it delighted me with its ideas and made me LAUGH so much and gave me hope. Naoise Dolan is thrillingly honest about class iniquity, sexism, poverty, the after-effects of colonialism - it's so REFRESHING. I kept seizing on paragraphs and shouting, THIS!! THIS IS THE THING I WAS THINKING BUT COULDN'T ARTICULATE!!! * Marian Keyes *A wonderfully sharp, comic writer, adept at making wisecracks in the caustic, knock-em-off, knock-em-down tradition of Dorothy Parker, Joan Rivers and Nora Ephron ... [Ava] is Bridget Jones's sour sister, or Bridget Jones marinaded in vinegar... I found myself purring with pleasure. I loved EXCITING TIMES's snap and its bite ... This is comic writing at the highest level, created with such apparent ease that it seems to dance across the page ... At its best, EXCITING TIMES reminds me of Martin Amis's first novel, The Rachel Papers. In its icy take on consumerism it's also reminiscent of Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho. Like both those novels it seems to be brilliantly in tune with its times. * Daily Mail *A Book of the Year in The Sunday Times and a Best Book of the Summer in The i newspaper. A wily, caustic story about young love ... Sentence-by-sentence, EXCITING TIMES is both a joy and a triumph... I delighted in the brilliance of Dolan's deadpan style. * The i newspaper *The most talked about novel of the summer * The Sunday Times Style *A dazzling debut... Dolan's writing is precise, acerbic and enviably good, and her characters are perfectly drawn * Evening Standard *Sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart-breaking... Ava is a most interesting literary heroine ... I rarely find myself rooting for a character as much as I did for her ... A whip-smart, funny and poignant story of modern love, accessible to all. It should be on everyone's 2020 must read list * Irish Sunday Independent *A fresh and funny debut about love and self-knowledge ... affecting and powerful * Guardian *What sets Dolan apart is her humour. EXCITING TIMES is riddled with snappy one liners and witty interplay. A fantastic first novel * Metro *Dolan is a writer entirely in command of her craft ... The writing fairly sizzles on the page... EXCITING TIMES is an acerbic tale of sex and love, set in the social media age * The Herald Scotland *Incredibly readable * Belfast Telegraph *With Naoise Dolan on the literary scene, there are EXCITING TIMES ahead * i-D *The Irish debut novel everyone is talking about * The Gloss *I savoured every shrewd line * Dazed *A sharp, witty and ultimately moving debut ... Dolan brings a fresh insight into modern love that will inevitably make this a hit among those who love Normal People * Independent *A wry, stylish debut ... In this witty satire of the haves and have nots, Dolan explores tender, insightful truths about the vagaries of modern love * Esquire *Snappy, sharp and smart [with] painfully funny insight that has drawn justifiable comparisons to Sally Rooney * Sunday Express *Naoise Dolan's debut is whipsmart, sharp and full of delightfully perceptive observations * Daily Express *A bracing book that cuts through the burdens and excesses of the typical love story to deliver the reader to that rare, real thing: raw thought. Naoise Dolan has an uncanny talent for interiority, and her cool prose accommodates equally well a quickening heart and a mind on fire -- Joshua FerrisA sharp, witty debut. * Stylist *We loved Dolan's evisceration of Insta culture - SAVAGE. -- Cosmopolitan * Cosmopolitan *Withering, stylish prose that is at times deceptively simple but always flush with caustic wit, I savoured every shrewd line. * Dazed *

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Book Synopsis''A brilliant contemporary novel'' COLM TÓIBÍN''So witty, observant and wise'' MARIAN KEYES''I am fully in awe of Dolan''s talent'' DOUGLAS STUART''A dazzling follow-up to Exciting Times'' KATHERINE HEINY''Beautiful'' PANDORA SYKESMeet the wedding party:THE BRIDE AND GROOM Celine and Luke are meant to get married and live happily ever after. But Celine''s more interested in playing the piano, and Luke''s a serial cheater.THE BRIDESMAID Phoebe, Celine''s sister, is meant to finish college and get a real job. Instead she pulls pints, lives with six flatmates, and has no long-term aspirations beyond smoking her millionth cigarette.THE BEST MAN Archie, Luke''s best friend and ex-boyfriend, is meant to move up the corporate ladder and on from Luke. Yet he stands where he is, admiring the view.THE GUEST Vivian, Luke''s other best frienTrade ReviewSassy and smart and wickedly funny, Dolan's voice is uniquely her own. I inhaled every irreverent page -- Ruth Gilligan, author of The ButchersI just finished The Happy Couple and I loved it - an extremely funny examination of modern love, with depth, bite and poignancy -- Daisy Buchanan, author of INSATIABLEDolan, whose debut novel Exciting Times was a storming success, is sure to bring her sparkling wit and insightful understanding of human relationships to this second outing * Irish Independent *I pure LOVED The Happy Couple. So witty, observant, wise and funny. Nihilistic about heteronormative relationships but so charmingly done I barely noticed. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it -- Marian KeyesA cracking ensemble, The Happy Couple is a beautiful sonata about our relationships and a sad fugue for fear and loneliness. The book is a tough, all-engrossing love-test. Dolan's acerbic humour is unapologetically analytical. She breaks the rule of intimacy with wit and panache that are second to none. I was kept on tenterhooks till the last few pages and my heart wouldn't stop pounding afterwards. I don't want to say goodbye to Luke and Celine. -- Kit Fan, author of DIAMOND HILLEndlessly funny, endlessly inventive - a bold and stylish novel that slipped down and burned like a shot of something lovely -- Rebecca Wait, author of I’M SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WAYA sophisticated character study of a young couple coming to terms with their relationship, in this biting, whip-smart look at modern love and the tangled messes we leave behind us. I am fully in awe of Dolan's talent. And so glad my twenties are over -- Douglas Stuart, author of YOUNG MUNGO and SHUGGIE BAINThe Happy Couple is a dazzling follow-up to Exciting Times. Dolan spins her magic again with humour and insight and the sharpest of prose. Not a word out of place -- KATHERINE HEINY, author of STANDARD DEVIATION and EARLY MORNING RISERThe Happy Couple is just as satisfying as Exciting Times, and deals with class, money, gender dynamics and bisexuality with similar ease. Set between London and Dublin, it is a beautiful exploration of love, fidelity - and whether either are compatible with marriage -- Pandora SykesThe Happy Couple is one of those rare novels that feel like it's been written just for you. It's precisely what I love to read: engaging, fast-paced, hilarious, but still tender and moving. Also, is Dolan an actual genius? The pages just sparkle with smartness. It's a true joy to read, I adored it from the first page to the last -- Jenny Mustard, author of Okay DaysUsing daring, exciting sentences and close, sharp observation, The Happy Couple is a brilliant contemporary novel -- COLM TÓIBÍNThe Happy Couple hooked me the way that heteronormativity hooks its ambivalent protagonists. Dolan's prose absolutely crackles with wit, humour, and empathy -- Clare Fisher, author of ALL THE GOOD THINGSThe Happy Couple reminded me of Muriel Spark in its precision of language and emotion -- Emma Forrest, author of BUSY BEING FREEFun, addictive and laced with astute observations * Vogue *A deep dive into love, betrayal, monogamy and sexuality. Sensational * Daily Mail *One of the most talked about books for 2023 * Stylist *A funny and perceptive play on the traditional marriage plot that cements Dolan as one of the cleverest, most amusing new writers around. Marriage, it seems, is a laughing matter * The i paper *The Happy Couple rises towards an affecting ending that asks what illusions and armour one has to shed in order to feel free * Observer *The funniest writer you will read this year. Every page crackles -- Irish Independent, on EXCITING TIMESDroll, shrewd and unafraid -- Hilary Mantel, on EXCITING TIMESWitty, compelling, with a razor-sharp social commentary. I guzzled it -- Pandora Sykes, on EXCITING TIMESIt's flawless -- Colm Tóibín, on EXCITING TIMESI found myself purring with pleasure. This is comic writing at the highest level -- Craig Brown, on EXCITING TIMESIce cool, self-aware and very funny. Shares of Lorrie Moore and The Bell Jar -- Graham Norton, on EXCITING TIMESI had real fun with Exciting Times. It is a very funny, spiky, Marxist, feminist comedy and it's really mean -- Zadie Smith, on EXCITING TIMESA sharp, smart, witty modern love story. I loved it -- David Nicholls, on EXCITING TIMESNaoise Dolan's prose accommodates equally well a quickening heart and a mind on fire -- Joshua Ferris, on EXCITING TIMESFiercely intelligent, brutally funny and written with such heart, EXCITING TIMES announces an impressive new voice in literature -- Nathan Filer, on EXCITING TIMES'A taut, witty tale' * Daily Mirror *Sharp, hilarious - and cuttingly observant! * Woman & Home *I loved everything about this ferociously clever contemporary reworking of the marriage plot. Sensational. * Daily Mail *This book confirms her as an artful comic novelist with a distinctive signature style * The Telegraph *I ran through my proof copy in a few greedy hours, enjoying the snark Dolanisms and the way she toys with form * The Times *This is a warm and sympathetic novel, ready to let even its worst offenders off the hook * The Observer *Witty and insightful... a complete winner * Glamour *This novel is a joy to read * Literary Review *Smart and sharp on 21st century love and loneliness * Grazia *A darkly funny, clever look at modern relationships with a wonderful cast of maddening yet endearing characters * Red *

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Book Synopsis''A brilliant contemporary novel'' Colm Tóibín ''I am fully in awe of Dolan''s talent'' Douglas Stuart''I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it'' Marian Keyes''Dazzling. Not a word is out of place'' Katherine HeinyMeet Celine and Luke. To all intents and purposes, the happy couple.But Celine''s more interested in playing the piano, and Luke''s a serial cheater.And as their big day approaches, the complicated lives of the wedding party begin to unravel. A fed-up bridesmaid, a lovesick best man, guests and family members all find themselves searching for their own happily ever afters.From the author of Exciting Times, this is a sparkling ensemble novel about love and marriage, fidelity and betrayal.

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Book Synopsis‘Funny and barbed, and the twists at the end had me shocked’ MONICA HEISEY, author of Really Good, ActuallyWIFE. HUSBAND. BEST FRIEND. What if your two favourite people hated each other with a passion?A nice house, a carefree life, a doting husband, a best friend who never leaves your side. What more could you ask for? There's just one problem: your husband and best friend love you, but they hate each other.Set over a single day, husband, wife and best friend Temi toe the lines of compromise and betrayal. Told in three parts, three people's lives, and their visions of themselves and one another begin to slowly unravel, until a startling discovery throws everyone's integrity into question.'Dazzling, dextrous and droll, this millennial noir is a taut exploration of culture and the politics of relationships’ BOLU BABALOLA, author of Love in Colour'Sharp, astute... Packs a serious punch' YOMI ADEGOKE, author of The List'Wickedly enjoyable' NAOISE DOLAN, author of Exciting Times'Has that elusive Sally Rooney style of writing' STYLISTTrade ReviewSharp, astute and wickedly funny - Ore Agbaje-Williams' sharp wit and perfectly realised protagonists make for a taut, darkly comic read that packs a serious punch -- Yomi Adegoke, author of THE LISTA funny, terrifically entertaining read * Daily Mail *A treat of a debut. Agbaje-Williams has a gift of gliding between the sharpest driest humour and damning emotional revelations that incisively exposes the vulnerabilities, fallacies and messiness that line the relationships with those we are closest to. Dazzling, dextrous and droll, this millennial noir is a taut exploration of culture and the politics of relationships -- Bolu Babalola, author of LOVE IN COLOURDeftly plotted and wickedly enjoyable... I tore through this, and you will, too. The triad of voices seems to flow spontaneously, but is intricately assembled to result in maximum drama -- Naoise Dolan, author of EXCITING TIMESOre Agbaje-Williams has that elusive Sally Rooney style of writing: it seems simple and easy to do but is incredibly difficult to pull off... Enjoy * Stylist *Unique and completely captivating, The Three of Us absorbed me. When I finished I wanted to go back and read it from the beginning again -- Annie Lord, author of NOTES ON HEARTBREAKAn astute, composed and quietly hilarious observation of identity, marriage and friendship from a unique storyteller -- Diana Evans, author of ORDINARY PEOPLESwitching points of view among the three, this debut is viciously funny, different than anything you’ve read lately, and at the same time, strangely relatable * Oprah Daily *Taut and precise, as honest as it is hilarious, I consumed The Three of Us in a single sitting. Not to be missed -- Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of OPEN WATERRich, dazzling and deeply possessive... At just 192 pages, The Three of Us is as short and sharp as a paring knife * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD'Thrillingly original' Naoise Dolan'Exquisite' Daily TelegraphTwenty years ago, Oona left the island of Inis for the very first time. A wind-blasted rock of fishing boats and turf fires, where girls stayed in their homes until they became mothers themselves, the island was a gift for some, a prison for others.The Island Child tells two stories: of the girl who grew up watching births and betrayals, storms and secrets, and of the adult Oona, desperate to find a second chance, only to discover she can never completely escape. As the strands of Oona's life come together, in blood and marriage and motherhood, she must accept the price we pay when we love what is never truly ours . . .Trade ReviewAn exquisite debut from an exciting new voice in Irish fiction * * Daily Telegraph * *Like the casts of fairy stories, Aitken's characters can stand for as much as you want them to - but they're also fully realised individuals who come to you through peeks and glances, so that without being able to pinpoint how it happened, you know them, and feel you always have. This is a thrillingly original debut, and I can't wait to see what Aitken does next -- NAOISE DOLAN, author of EXCITING TIMESA haunting tale about the power and danger in a mother's love * * Irish Times * *It's a rare pleasure to come across quite such an accomplished novel as The Island Child. This is a work positively brimming with pathos and emotion, articulated in truly exquisite prose. Oona is a captivating narrator. She's alive on the page -- NATHAN FILER, author of THE SHOCK OF THE FALLAn intriguing debut about motherhood, the trauma we inherit and the inescapability of fate . . . The joy of this book is in Aitken's prose, which is exquisite . . . Aitken is an exciting new voice in Irish literature * * Irish Independent * *The Island Child is the story of a mother's relationship with a misbegotten daughter, sensitively and subtly told -- FAY WELDON, author of PRAXISAitken brings a gut-pummelling mix of folklore, feminism and psychological trauma to her wild debut tale of mothers impelled to take out on their daughters the sins committed against them * * Daily Mail * *A magical, elemental tale. Exploring loss and love, motherhood and freedom and the transformative power of stories, The Island Child is a wonderful debut -- JESS KIDD, author of THINGS IN JARSAitken stitches together many themes - folk legend, family saga, love story, coming of age tale. The result is the sort of book you want to sink into a hot bath with and not emerge until it's finished -- ROWAN HISAYO BUCHANAN, author of STARLING DAYSA confident tale of generational conflict and continuity * * i * *

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Book Synopsis'Extraordinary' Naoise Dolan'Seriously good' Louise NealonDublin student life is ending for Sophie and her friends. They've got everything figured out, and Sophie feels left behind as they all start to go their separate ways. Then, at a party, what was already unstable completely falls apart and Sophie finds herself obsessively scrolling social media, waiting for something (anything) to happen. None of This Is Serious is about the uncertainty and absurdity of being alive today. It's about balancing the real world with the online, and the vulnerabilities in yourself, your relationships, your body. At its heart, this is a novel about the friendships strong enough to withstand anything.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary novel. None of This Is Serious brilliantly explores the impossibility to "come of age" in end times, where screens are so contiguous to experience that no-one is ever truly online or offline. She writes truthfully and with affectless nuance about the labyrinthine workings of friend groups and the defences women scramble for in a world that still hates us -- NAOISE DOLAN, author of EXCITING TIMESI inhaled None of This Is Serious. I've been waiting for a fictional story that reflects the all-consuming influence that the Internet has on my life. None of This Is Serious is that story. A compulsively readable, fresh and painfully accurate description of the way we live now. Don't let the title fool you. It is serious. Seriously good -- LOUISE NEALON, author of SNOWFLAKEEdgy . . . [Prasifka] has a painfully raw and acute gift for catching the way things are * * Sunday Times * *I absolutely LOVED this novel. Beautifully crafted -- EMMA GANNON, author of OLIVEFortunately, [Prasifka] doesn't need any sprinkling of Rooney's fairy dust; she makes her own magic. In the seriously good None of This is Serious, the 26-year-old author conveys what it's like to be a young woman today navigating life in Dublin and online . . . She is an astute observer of the social dynamics of her generation * * Irish Times * *A beautifully written original take on how we're all guilty of taking refuge online as the world around us becomes increasingly confusing * * Stylist, Fiction Books You Can't Miss in 2022 * *[A] funny, endearingly heartfelt debut * * Daily Mail * *As we adapt to our increasingly online lives, Catherine Prasifka's debut is the antidote we never knew we needed. We meet Sophie, Prasifka's ultra-relatable protagonist, at a precarious time in her life: leaving university. What happens next is a worthy reminder that Instagram /= reality * * Glamour, Best Books of 2022 * *None of This Is Serious is brilliant - so devastatingly precise about being a young woman living in Ireland and online today, moving deftly between sharp, hilarious observations and heartbreaking, enraging moments -- CLAIRE HENNESSY, author of LIKE OTHER GIRLSNone of This Is Serious is such a compelling novel, and Sophie is such a relatable character - reading her story felt like one of those meaningful and immersive conversations you can only have with a stranger at 3am in the toilets of a dingy club, all hearts laid bare. At times agonisingly close to the bone, Catherine Prasifka's debut novel is an exquisitely unnerving portrayal of who we are and how we live -- KATIE HALE, author of MY NAME IS MONSTER

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Book Synopsis'Extraordinary' Naoise Dolan'Seriously good' Louise NealonPICKED AS 'ONE TO WATCH' FOR 2022 BY IRISH TIMES, STYLIST AND IRISH INDEPENDENTDublin student life is ending for Sophie and her friends. They've got everything figured out, and Sophie feels left behind as they all start to go their separate ways. She's overshadowed by her best friend Grace. She's been in love with Finn for as long as she's known him. And she's about to meet Rory, who's suddenly available to her online.At a party, what was already unstable completely falls apart and Sophie finds herself obsessively scrolling social media, waiting for something (anything) to happen.None of This Is Serious is about the uncertainty and absurdity of being alive today. It's about balancing the real world with the online, and the vulnerabilities in yourself, your relationships, your body. At its heart, this is a novel about the friendships strong enough to withstand anything.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary novel. None of This Is Serious brilliantly explores the impossibility to "come of age" in end times, where screens are so contiguous to experience that no-one is ever truly online or offline. She writes truthfully and with affectless nuance about the labyrinthine workings of friend groups and the defences women scramble for in a world that still hates us -- NAOISE DOLAN, author of EXCITING TIMESI inhaled None of This Is Serious. I've been waiting for a fictional story that reflects the all-consuming influence that the Internet has on my life. None of This Is Serious is that story. A compulsively readable, fresh and painfully accurate description of the way we live now. Don't let the title fool you. It is serious. Seriously good -- LOUISE NEALON, author of SNOWFLAKEEdgy . . . [Prasifka] has a painfully raw and acute gift for catching the way things are * * Sunday Times * *I absolutely LOVED this novel. Beautifully crafted -- EMMA GANNON, author of OLIVEFortunately, [Prasifka] doesn't need any sprinkling of Rooney's fairy dust; she makes her own magic. In the seriously good None of This is Serious, the 26-year-old author conveys what it's like to be a young woman today navigating life in Dublin and online . . . She is an astute observer of the social dynamics of her generation * * Irish Times * *A beautifully written original take on how we're all guilty of taking refuge online as the world around us becomes increasingly confusing * * Stylist, Fiction Books You Can't Miss in 2022 * *[A] funny, endearingly heartfelt debut * * Daily Mail * *As we adapt to our increasingly online lives, Catherine Prasifka's debut is the antidote we never knew we needed. We meet Sophie, Prasifka's ultra-relatable protagonist, at a precarious time in her life: leaving university. What happens next is a worthy reminder that Instagram /= reality * * Glamour, Best Books of 2022 * *None of This Is Serious is brilliant - so devastatingly precise about being a young woman living in Ireland and online today, moving deftly between sharp, hilarious observations and heartbreaking, enraging moments -- CLAIRE HENNESSY, author of LIKE OTHER GIRLSNone of This Is Serious is such a compelling novel, and Sophie is such a relatable character - reading her story felt like one of those meaningful and immersive conversations you can only have with a stranger at 3am in the toilets of a dingy club, all hearts laid bare. At times agonisingly close to the bone, Catherine Prasifka's debut novel is an exquisitely unnerving portrayal of who we are and how we live -- KATIE HALE, author of MY NAME IS MONSTER

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Book SynopsisFrom ‘one of the greatest writers of our time’ (Toni Morrison) – the author of Their Eyes Were Watching God and Barracoon – a collection of remarkable short stories from the Harlem Renaissance With a foreword by Tayari Jones, author of An American MarriageTrade Review‘wickedly funny’ THE OBSERVER NEW REVIEW ‘Published in one gorgeous volume for the first time … [these] stories are fascinating, harrowing and beautifully written’ Stylist ‘this collection reaffirms [Hurston’s] status as a truly visionary writer.’ Vogue UK ‘the rediscovery of [Hurston’s] work has been one of the literary joys of recent decades.’ The Financial Times ‘Illuminating’, ‘every day is a good day to read Zora Neale Hurston’s brilliant writing’ REFINERY29 ‘[A] jewel of the Harlem Renaissance’ New Statesman ‘Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick … helps illuminate Hurston’s path to iconic status’ ‘Add [Hurston’s] matchless powers of observation, exemplary fidelity to idiomatic speech and irresistible engagement with folklore, and the outcome is a collection of value to more than Hurston completists. Any addition to her awe-inspiring oeuvre should be met with open arms.’ New York Times Book Review ‘Fans and scholars of Hurston’s work and the uninitiated alike will find many delights in these complex, thoughtful and wickedly funny portraits of black lives and communities… [this] is a significant testament to the enduring resonance of black women’s writing.’ Washington Post ‘Decades on, this new collection is a powerful reminder of [Zora Neale Hurston’s] lasting resonance.’ Time Magazine ‘Fluid, polymathic voice; what a class act’ Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times Praise for Barracoon ‘A searing reminder of how recently American slavery ended, and the depth of the pain it caused’ The Economist ‘A deeply affecting record of an extraordinary life’ Daily Telegraph ‘Barracoon and its long path to print is a testament to Zora’s singular vision amid so many competing pressures that continue to put us at war with ourselves’ Huffington Post

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Book SynopsisObsessive was, still is, my natural state, and I never wondered why. I didn't mind, didn't know that other people could feel at peace. I always felt like a raw nerve, but then, I thought that everyone did. Writer and journalist Marianne Eloise was born obsessive. What that means changes day to day, depending on what her brain latches onto: fixations with certain topics, intrusive violent thoughts, looping phrases. Some obsessions have lasted a lifetime, while others will be intense but only last a week or two. Obsessive, Intrusive, Magical Thinking is the culmination of a life spend obsessing, offering a glimpse into Marianne's brain, but also an insight into the lives of others like her. From death to Medusa, to Disneyland to fire, to LA to her dog, the essays explore the intersection of neurodivergence, fixation and disorder, telling the story of one life underpinned and ultimately made whole by obsession. AUTHOR: Marianne Eloise is a writer and journalist. She covers topics like TV, film, digital culture, neurodiversity, wellness and alternative music, for outlets including The Cut, the New York Times, Courier, Vulture, i-D, Guardian and more.Trade ReviewThe mortifying ordeal of being known, minus the ordeal and sans mortification. I felt recognised on every page, learned so many new things, and laughed so hard I choked on my water. Read this!!! -- Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting TimesIn her candid, witty memoir, Marianne Eloise offers a powerful account of what it is like to feel trapped by mental health problems and obsessions ... A brave book that puts vulnerability fully on show. * Independent *Incandescent [...] Eloise's wit and grace cast her differences in a dazzling light [...] the result is a rewarding navigation through the corridors of a relentlessly curious mind. * Publishers Weekly *There are several shrewd observations made within this lucid and level-headed memoir. Amongst them is the way the matrix of obsession, compulsion and intrusion represents an exaggeration of conventional anxieties. * Arts Desk *Did not disappoint [...] a really good portrayal of neurodiversity in an entertaining and enjoyable way' * Eleanor, NetGalley *Lyrical, often funny, ... the essays will leave readers feeling secondhand joy and maybe even encouragement to own their love for their own less-than-cool favorite things. * NYLON *

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Book SynopsisA beguiling novel about three women struggling to determine their own lives in contemporary Tokyo.'Breathtaking' – Haruki Murakami author of Norwegian WoodA New York Times 'Notable Book of the Year' and one of Elena Ferrante's 'Top 40 Books by Female Authors'. Shortlisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation.On a hot summer’s day in a poor suburb of Tokyo we meet three women: thirty-year-old Natsuko, her older sister Makiko, and Makiko’s teenage daughter Midoriko. Makiko, an ageing hostess despairing the loss of her looks, has travelled to Tokyo in search of breast enhancement surgery. She's accompanied by her daughter, who has recently stopped speaking, finding herself unable to deal with her own changing body and her mother’s self-obsession. Her silence dominates Natsuko’s rundown apartment, providing a catalyst for each woman to grapple with their own anxieties and their relationships with one another.Eight years later, we meet Natsuko again. She is now a writer and finds herself on a journey back to her native city, returning to memories of that summer and her family’s past as she faces her own uncertain future.In Breasts and Eggs Mieko Kawakami paints a radical and intimate portrait of contemporary working class womanhood in Japan, recounting the heartbreaking journeys of three women in a society where the odds are stacked against them. Translated from the Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd.'Bold, modern and surprising' – An Yu, author of Braised Pork'Incredible and propulsive' – Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting TimesTrade ReviewI can never forget the sense of pure astonishment I felt when I first read Mieko Kawakami’s novella Breasts and Eggs . . . breathtaking . . . Mieko Kawakami is always ceaselessly growing and evolving -- Haruki MurakamiIncredible -- Yoko Ogawa, author of The Memory PoliceBreasts and Eggs, which caused a small sensation upon its publication in the UK and US last year, was a fierce yet thoughtful tale of working-class womanhood * New Statesman *Bold, modern, and surprising -- An Yu, author of Braised PorkIt is Tokyo as it is lived in, not a film set * New York Times *If you like Sheila Heti, you'll love Mieko Kawakami * NPR *A dazzling intellectual thriller by a new Japanese literary star . . . stunning * Financial Times *Breasts and Eggs is stunning - its rage, wry humour and nihilism rendered with real care. -- Olivia Sudjic, author of SympathyIncredible and propulsive -- Naoise DolanFierce and sweet and I would like the rest of Kawakami’s work translated, please -- Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater, in The TimesMieko Kawakami is a writer of rare candour and brilliance -- Rónán Hession, author of Leonard and Hungry PaulAlready a literary sensation . . . Kawakami writes with unsettling precision about the body — its discomforts, its appetites, its smells and secretions. -- Katie Kitamura * New York Times *An original and deeply moving novel—that is by turns hilarious, sexy, devastating, and always unforgettable. Breasts and Eggs crackles with provocative insights into the passage of time, friendship, money, and the pleasures and pains of living in a body. -- Laura van den Berg, author of The Third HotelOne of Japan’s brightest stars is set to explode across the global skies of literature . . . Kawakami is both a writer’s writer and an entertainer, a thinker and constantly evolving stylist who manages to be highly readable and immensely popular. * Japan Times *Mieko Kawakami lobbed a literary grenade into the fusty, male-dominated world of Japanese fiction with 'Chichi to Ran'('Breasts and Eggs') * Economist *Kawakami is emerging as one of Japan’s most prominent young literary voices, with thoughtfulness and eccentricity at the heart of her prose * Culture Trip *So finely crafted, every few lines could be a haiku, and you almost forget how difficult it must have been to create something so perfectly simple. And when you notice the clarity, meditativeness, eccentricity, quirk and wit in her writing, you immediately understand how Murakami could be inspired by a writer like this -- Praise for Ms Ice Cream Sandwich * Ladies Finger *The novel details the lives of three women: the 30-year-old unmarried narrator, her older sister Makiko, who’s obsessed with getting breast implants and her daughter, Midoriko. With humour and compassion, Kawakami explores female oppression in Japan, reproduction rights and motherhood * Now Magazine *Originally published in Mieko Kawakami’s native Japanese, the author’s stellar 2008 novel Breast and Eggs is being translated to English for the first time ever this month, opening her bold writing up to a wider audience * Dazed and Confused *

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Book Synopsis'This summer's must read' - The Times ‘An irresistible account of female friendship … Nobody describes the strength, pain and comedy of being young as elegantly and eloquently as Meg Rosoff’ – Amanda Craig ‘A wonderful, captivating writer’ – Daily Telegraph __________________ From the incomparable Meg Rosoff, bestselling author of How I Live Now and The Great Godden, comes an alluring coming-of-age tale about the summer that changes everything. New York City. June, 1982. When eighteen-year-old Beth arrives in Manhattan for a prestigious journalism internship, everything feels brand new – and not always in a good way. A cockroach-infested sublet and a disaffected roommate are the least of her worries, and she soon finds herself caught up with her fellow interns – preppy Oliver, ruthless Dan and ridiculously cool, beautiful, wild Edie. Soon, Beth and Edie are best friends – the sort of heady, all-consuming best-friendship that’s impossible to resist. But with the mercury rising and deceit mounting up, betrayal lies just around the corner. Who needs enemies … when you have friends like these? From bestselling, award-winning author Meg Rosoff comes a gritty, intoxicating novel about a summer of unforgettable firsts: of independence, lies, love and the inevitable loss of innocence. Sharp and irresistible, it's perfect for fans of Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends and Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan.Trade ReviewA magical and utterly faultless voice * Mark Haddon *An irresistible account of female friendship set on the cusp between of adulthood in 1980s New York. Nobody describes the strength, pain and comedy of being young as elegantly and eloquently as Meg Rosoff -- Amanda CraigA wonderful, captivating writer * Daily Telegraph *This dreamy novel ... charms and seduces effortlessly. Just like those long, hot, lazy summers of your childhood, by the end of it, you'll want to start all over again ***** * Heat Magazine on THE GREAT GODDEN *This summer's must-read YA novel * The Times *Highly filmic ... gorgeously evoked * Spectator *There's a touch of The Bell Jar to this 1980s New York-set novel ... Rosoff is a terrific writer, wry and spare, and this engaging read about friendship, work, love and how to survive them would be enjoyed by a teen as much as an adult * Daily Mail *Effortlessly lyrical, moving from straightforward description to devastating emotional truth in the blink of an eye ... a smart, stylish summer read * Irish Times *Beautifully written and evocative ... An intoxicating mix of love, friendship and learning over one unforgettable summer * Reading Zone *From the author of The Great Godden comes another intoxicating coming- of-age tale, this one set in 80s Manhattan * The i Paper *A feel good, coming-of-age treat, with ripples of NYC angst * Jewish Chronicle *Rosoff is on top form in this compelling coming-of-age story * Daily Mirror *This wise and drop-dead funny book is a love song to friendship, to starting out, and to New York * Perspective Magazine *

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Book Synopsis''A coming-of-age story filled with magic in language and plot: beautiful and devastating''Observer, Books of the Year''I felt consumed by this book. I loved it, you will love it''Daisy Johnson, author of Sisters''A page-turning Appalachian coming-of-age story told in undulating prose that settles right into you''Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times ''Vivid and lucid, Betty has stayed with me''Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies''I loved Betty'' Fiona Mozley, author of Hot Stew''Breahtaking''Vogue ''A GIRL COMES OF AGE AGAINST THE KNIFE''So begins the story of Betty Carpenter. Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a white mother and a Cherokee father, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings: the world they inhabit in the rural town of BreathTrade ReviewBreathtaking. * Vogue *Despite the beauty of the landscape and the poetry of the language, this is not an easy read. Yes, it flows beautifully, but there are depths to explore and layer upon layer of meaning. It is worth the journey... At one stage, I put the novel aside but Betty kept calling me back. I wanted to know what happened. I'm glad I did. Once I had finished the book, I wanted to start again simply so that I could savour some of the language and the Cherokee wisdom. (I also wanted to give Betty a hug and tell her it would be OK.) This is a book that will stay with you. * Irish Independent *There's a good chance you haven't read a family saga like Betty... Their story is simultaneously extraordinary (they are subjected to unthinkable racism, financial hardships, and untimely deaths) and run-of-the-mill (at the heart, they are a family like any other). Each day in their life is supplanted with the mysticism and interconnectedness of their father's traditions, offering a light at the end of a very dark plot tunnel. * Entertainment Weekly *Vivid. * Los Angeles Times *So engrossing! Tiffany McDaniel's Betty is a page-turning Appalachian coming-of-age story steeped in Cherokee history, told in undulating prose that settles right into you. * Naoise Dolan, Sunday Times bestselling author of EXCITING TIMES *I felt consumed by the ambitious enormity and sadness of this book. Betty is about the power of words and the language it is written in rings with this. I loved it, you will love it. * Daisy Johnson, Booker Prize shortlisted author of EVERYTHING UNDER and SISTERS *I loved Betty: I fell for its strong characters and was moved by the story it portrayed. McDaniel deals with the passage of time with subtlety and skill and the descriptions of the rolling hills of Ohio were really beautiful. * Fiona Mozley, Booker Prize shortlisted author of ELMET *Betty is woven of many things, light and dark, and most of all it is life in all its shades: all its brilliances and disappointments, sadnesses and hopes. Vivid and lucid, Betty has stayed with me. * Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of THE MERCIES *Tiffany McDaniel has given us a vivid and haunting portrait of the writer as a young girl. Betty Carpenter survives the brutality of her childhood through her father's stories and his steadfast belief in her own. A novel of tragedy and trouble, poetry and power, not a story you will soon forget.Magical, densely lyrical and often disturbing. Tiffany McDaniel follows in the tradition of The Color Purple with her unflinching portrayal of the generational ripples of racism, poverty, and abuse. Shot through with moonshine, Bible verses, and folklore, Betty is about the cruelty we inflict on one another, the beauty we still manage to find, and the stories we tell in order to survive. * Eowyn Ivey, author of THE SNOW CHILD *This novel broke my brain. The lush, hypnotic prose, the voice, so authentic and compelling, as Betty Carpenter holds your hand and leads you through a world filled with familial tragedy. Each more haunting than the last, until you're left holding your breath, with a tourniquet on your heart. This is powerful, relentless storytelling at its best. * Jamie Ford, author of HOTEL AT THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET *Betty is Betty Carpenter's gripping coming of age story and is bold, inventive and profoundly moving. It is not a story blind to the character's abuse, but also reveals the love, sweetness, and magic in her life. Betty is too brown, too female and too poor for the world, but her story reminds us that despite all obstacles there are those blessed times when we can still manage to find our voices and sing. A triumph! * Stephanie Powell Watts, author of NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US *A painful, powerful, transcendent story . . . Tiffany McDaniel's distinctive, poetic prose lets us know at the outset that something unique is going on in these pages. Bit by bit, she draws us into her 'other world' with amazing skill; and, before we realize it, we are like wide-eyed children, enthralled as we once were, as we listened to a story from Grimm's Fairy Tales. Yet, this is no fairytale for children. Rather, it is an intricate, complex mosaic of myths that explores the ways in which the imagination can bring hope into our lives during difficult times. With her depth as a poet and her boldness as a storyteller, the author has created an unforgettable novel. It stays in our imagination, long after we've read the last word. * Gwyn Hyman Rubio, author of THE WOODMAN'S DAUGHTER *Tiffany McDaniel gives voice to those on the fringes. Betty is a coming-of-age novel that has the courage to look into the darkness and to find the light. Betty Carpenter tells the story of her family with empathy and passion and heart. This is a book for anyone who's ever stood on the outside looking in, or for anyone who's ever scorned the unfortunate. It's a book for our uncertain times, one that has much to show us about family, about want, about love. * Lee Martin, author of THE BRIGHT FOREVER *Betty is an unforgettable story about the bonds that bind families and the power of words when it feels like all hope is lost. * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisThe International Bestseller!I absolutely adored it. It is the funniest rom-com I''ve read in a very long time Andrea stole my heart I cannot wait to get my hands on whatever Lauren Ho writes next'Beth O'Leary, Sunday Times bestselling author of The FlatshareLike all good Chinese children, Andrea Tang is doing her best to fulfil all her mother's plans for her life: she's on track to become partner at a top law firm in Singapore, she has a beautiful apartment in the right postcode and a perfect boyfriend who is practically made of husband material.Except that those plans are unravelling fast: there's an unfairly attractive new lawyer out to steal her promotion, she has credit-card debt up to her eyeballs, her perfect boyfriend is now her perfect ex-boyfriend and the last single cousin in her family just got engaged, leaving her exposed to romantic meddling on all sidesFor fans of Crazy Rich Asians and Bridget Jones's Diary comes a hilarious story of love, friendship and the most intruTrade Review‘I absolutely adored it. It is the funniest rom-com I've read in a very long time … Andrea stole my heart … I cannot wait to get my hands on whatever Lauren Ho writes next’, Beth O’Leary, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Flatshare ‘Andrea Tang is wise, witty, flawed and perfectly written. I adored her story, and felt so seen by it. If you loved Crazy Rich Asians you'll gobble this up!’ Laura Jane Williams bestselling author of Our Stop ‘Both joyfully entertaining and socially perceptive, Lauren’s debut is a vivid read on dating, work and family in Singapore through the lens of a brutally honest protagonist of gold. I loved it’ Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times ‘Last Tang Standing is a fun, funny, addictive adventure starring a loveable heroine with impeccable taste in handbags (if not men). Relatable and romantic, Andrea Tang will have you nodding along and shaking your head in equal measure as she tries to balance friends, family, romance and her career. A perfect summer page-turner from Lauren Ho, I loved it’ Lindsey Kelk, bestselling author of the I Heart Series ‘This book is an absolute delight. Andrea Tang is the protagonist that we all need to remind us of the complications of navigating our thirties. Lauren brings humour and heart to the glittering, fast-paced landscape of Singapore’ Balli Kaur Jaswal, author of Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows ‘Witty, vibrant and full of characters I'd love to go for drinks with. As a reader who loved Bridget Jones back in the day, I'd say that Andrea is the millennial Bridget’ Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City ‘Hilarious … Last Tang Standing is not just a novel about Asian women, it’s a story about women everywhere as we fight for our personal happiness, love and respect’ Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, bestselling author of The Mountains Sing

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Book Synopsis***WINNER of the 2021 RSL Ondaatje Prize***'I binged it like a Netflix show... It's stunning' Luke Kennard, author of The Transition______________________________A photograph is hung on a gallery wall for the very first time since it was taken two decades before. It shows a slaughter house in rural Ireland, a painting of the Virgin Mary on the wall, a meat hook suspended from the ceiling - and, from its sharp point, the lifeless body of a man hanging by his feet. The story of who he is and how he got there casts back into Irish folklore, of widows cursing the land and of the men who slaughter its cattle by hand. But modern Ireland is distrustful of ancient traditions, and as the BSE crisis in England presents get-rich opportunities in Ireland, few care about The Butchers, the eight men who roam the country, slaughtering the cows of those who still have faith in the old ways. Few care, that is, except for Fionn, the husband of a dying woman who still believes; their son Davey, who has fallen in love with the youngest of the Butchers; Gra, the lonely wife of one of the eight; and her 12-year-old daughter, Una, a girl who will grow up to carry a knife like her father, and who will be the one finally to avenge the man in the photograph.Trade ReviewThis strange and poignant book grips throughout, offering a vivid portrait of one of Ireland's less heralded corners. * Guardian *Gilligan writes with clarity and compassion, resulting in an outstanding contemporary twist on the great Irish novel. Enchanting, ethereal and enlightening. Highly recommended. * Irish Sunday Independent *Exhilarating... I was hooked from the first page -- Donal Ryan, author of From a Low and Quiet SeaThe Butchers by Ruth Gilligan is a funny, sad, beautiful book that asks how you make a new life when your world changes. So much is packed into these pages about family, about greed, about love, and about desperation. Oh and it has the perfect ending. * Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of Harmless Like You and Starling Days *Flawlessly, intricately plotted, but with such a compelling central mystery that I binged it like a Netflix show... The Butchers is deeply humane and astute on why we might take even the worst options available to us, at times deeply poignant and genuinely moving. It's stunning. * Luke Kennard, author of The Transition *Plot twists worthy of Tana French... dark, wild, mythic, unsuspecting, and absolutely riveting -- Colum McCann, author of ApeirogonThis is a remarkable novel. The story is utterly compelling and the characters so well-drawn I found myself reading faster and faster as the plot progressed. Gilligan paints a disturbing portrait of rural Ireland which is both modern and ancient, firmly grounded in the realistic and hauntingly otherworldly. * Jan Carson, author of The Fire Starters *Immersive... Gilligan is a writer I admire * Jess Kidd, Daily Mail *I binged it like a Netflix show... It's stunning * Luke Kennard, author of The Transition *I found The Butchers haunting and compelling. The relationships between daughter, mother and landscape move in strange harmony with a story about Irish modernity and masculinity. * Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater *Excellent... completely gripping * Evie Wyld, author of The Bass Rock *I loved The Butchers. Filmic and sensory, full of heifers and grift. * Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times *It's gripping, Gothic, and moody. * Buzzfeed *A subtle and enthralling novel * Sebastian Barry, author of A Thousand Moons *

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Book SynopsisFrom literary sensation and International Booker Prize-shortlisted author Mieko Kawakami, the bestelling author of Breasts and Eggs and Heaven comes All the Lovers in the Night, an extraordinary, deeply moving and insightful story set in contemporary Tokyo.'A brief, compelling study of alienation and friendship; I binge-read it in one sitting.' - Rebecca F Kuang, bestselling author of BabelFuyuko Irie is a freelance proofreader in her thirties. Living alone in an overwhelming city and unable to form meaningful relationships, she has little contact with anyone other than her colleague, Hijiri. But a chance encounter with a man named Mitsutsuka awakens something new in her. Through their weekly meetings, Fuyuko starts to see the world in a different light and still, painful memories from her past begin to resurface. As Fuyuko realizes she exists in a small world of her own making she begins to push at her own boundaries. But will she find the strength to bring down the walls that surround her?Pulsing and poetic, modern and shocking, this is an unforgettable novel from Japan’s most exciting writer.‘Mieko Kawakami is a genius’ - Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting TimesAll the Lovers in the Night is translated from the Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd.Trade ReviewIf a book can keep me enraptured for the whole journey I count that as pretty unputdownable . . . a brief, compelling study of alientation and friendship; I binge-read it in one sitting. -- Rebecca F Kuang, bestselling author of BabelKawakami’s novel is uncompromisingly candid in its appraisal of the harm women inflict on one another, while never losing sight of the overarching structures that lead them to do so in the first place. Compact and supple, it’s a strikingly intelligent feat. * The New York Times Book Review *Her most accomplished novel yet . . . A contemporary Japanese master continues her meteoric rise into our literary firmament -- Hamilton Cain * Oprah Daily (A Most Anticipated Book of 2022) *[An] engrossing, fine-boned new novel, deftly translated from Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd . . . with this consummate novel, Kawakami’s star continues to rise, pulsing against a night that’s anything but holy -- Hamilton Cain * The Washington Post *Kawakami — the author of titles such as Breasts and Eggs and Heaven — has crafted another atmospheric, subtly beautiful novel. * TIME Magazine (A Most Anticipated Book of May 2022) *Kawakami has an effortless way of turning the mundanity of Fuyoko's day-to-day into detailed occasions that I want to know more about . . . Though the everyday is more interesting than you'd think, this is a book that's really about Fuyoko discovering happiness * Stylist *In contrast to the many suffocating (western) conventions of romantic storytelling, it is refreshing to encounter a book of such irresistible sweet melancholy. * The Irish Times *Kawakami has created a rich and notable examination of the varied ways women choose to live their lives and the gains and losses that come with the choices they've made. Kawakami writes with the tender and incisive sensibilities of a poet . . . An unforgettable and masterful work. * Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) *Candid and searing, Kawakami's latest is another brilliantly rendered portal into young women’s lives. * Booklist (Starred Review) *The author dazzles with her exploration of emotions . . . An invigorating and empowering portrait. It’s a winner. * Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) *Out of all the narratives that I’ve read that explore loneliness, anxiety and depression, All the Lovers in the Night is possibly the most accurate . . . The book made me feel less isolated in the struggle and after reading it, I made strides to find balance and joy. * Metro *Kawakami’s novel is a sensitive analysis of loneliness and self-discovery. * Observer *

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Book SynopsisWritten in precise, elegant prose, Garth Greenwell's Cleanness is an almost unbearably poignant book about a man whose life, like so many, has been transformed by the discovery and loss of love.‘This is an exceptional work of fiction, which places Greenwell among the very best contemporary novelists’ – The iBulgaria’s capital, Sofia, stirs with hope and impending upheaval. Soviet buildings crumble, unrelenting winds lash the city, political protesters flood the streets with song.Amid this disquiet, a young American teacher prepares to leave the place he’s come to call home. In a reflective mood, heightened by his imminent departure, he grapples with the intimate encounters that have marked his years abroad, each revealing startling insights about what it means to seek connection: with those we love, with the places we inhabit and with ourselves.Chosen as a book of the year in the New Yorker, Daily Telegraph, Observer, New York Times, BBC, TIME and Irish Times.A New York Times Notable Book of 2020.Longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize.Trade ReviewGreenwell displays an extraordinary skill at handling time . . . A piece of bravura writing . . . A style that is both clinically precise and fiercely sensual . . . Exquisite -- Colm Tóibín * New York Times Book Review *A brilliant examination of love and intimacy -- SJ Watson * The Times *Intense, emotional and super-sexy * Sunday Telegraph *Greenwell may be the finest writer of sex currently at work. He is certainly the most exhilarating * Times Literary Supplement *Radiant . . . compassion, that supreme quality in a fiction writer, is a main source of Greenwell's power -- Sigrid Nunez * New York Review of Books *Incandescent . . . Greenwell has an uncanny gift, one that comes along rarely * New York Times *This book is brilliant * Observer *Cleanness is wise and illuminating . . . a talented writer of beautiful sentences, and an insightful guide to the strange ways people have of loving each other * Guardian *Garth Greenwell has joined the canon of great gay writers . . . enthralling * Daily Telegraph *Greenwell is a master of precision: everyday intimacy is so well wrought that it can feel unbearable to read, as if he cuts too close to the skin * Financial Times *You should read this book because it contains the year’s most thrilling sex writing -- Katy Waldman * New Yorker *Greenwell is a great stylist * Spectator *One of the more stunning accounts of sex in literature . . . One puts the book down, and the light feels a bit hotter and the heart stings more sharply * White Review *Extraordinary . . . The range in these stories is part of their triumph and part of what makes their existential sorrow so profound . . . Incomparably bittersweet . . . Brilliant -- Ron Charles * Washington Post *Garth Greenwell is an intensely beautiful and gorgeous writer. Most American literature seems neutered by comparison -- Sheila Heti, author of MotherhoodStunning, provocatively revelatory and atmospherically profound. Here is love and sex as art, as pulse, as truth -- Lisa Taddeo, author of Three WomenAn impressive book: moving, radical, both beautiful and violent, unexpected. Garth Greenwell is a major writer, and his writing provides us tools to affirm ourselves, to exist – to fight -- Édouard Louis, author of The End of EddySo rarely do words make comprehensible the inevitability and confusion of desire and determination as Garth Greenwell's writing does. Cleanness captures the indefinableness of pain and intimacy, love and alienation, vulnerability and sustainability -- Yiyun Li, author of The VagrantsI don't know how Garth Greenwell writes such delicate, profane fiction. Reading this book made me want to sit with my emotions and desires; it made me want to be a better writer -- Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other PartiesA novel of devastating honesty and beauty -- David Ebershoff, author of The Danish GirlI loved Cleanness. It's a page-turning love story if you read it for that; it's a lambent, thought-provoking intervention on desire and others' knowability if you read it for that; and if you read it for both, you'll get the best of it. 10/10 -- Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting TimesAn unbearably wonderful, eloquently sexual, thoughtful, emotional delight of a novel – Garth Greenwell writes like no one else -- Eimear McBride, author of A Girl Is a Half-formed ThingThis is an exceptional work of fiction, which places Greenwell among the very best contemporary novelists * The i *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2022From the bestselling author of Breasts and Eggs and international literary sensation Mieko Kawakami comes a sharp and illuminating novel about a fourteen-year-old boy subjected to relentless bullying.In Heaven, a fourteen-year-old boy is tormented for having a lazy eye. Instead of resisting, he chooses to suffer in silence. The only person who understands what he is going through is a female classmate, Kojima, who experiences similar treatment at the hands of her bullies. Providing each other with immeasurable consolation at a time in their lives when they need it most, the two young friends grow closer than ever. But what, ultimately, is the nature of a friendship when your shared bond is terror?Unflinching yet tender, sharply observed, intimate and multi-layered, this simple yet profound novel stands as yet another dazzling testament to Mieko Kawakami’s uncontainable talent. TIME's 100 Must-Read Books of the Year'Mieko Kawakami is a genius' - Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times'An expertly told, deeply unsettling tale of adolescent violence' - VogueTranslated from the Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd.Trade ReviewTaking two outcast teens as its unhappy protagonists, it is an expertly told, deeply unsettling tale of adolescent violence that will, no doubt, only grow the author's fan base * Vogue *This is the real magic of Heaven, which shows us how to think about morality as an ongoing, dramatic activity. -- Merve Emre * New Yorker *To read Heaven, by the author of Breasts and Eggs, and newly translated into English from Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd, is to bear witness to an unrelenting horror film of one boy’s youth * The Washington Post *The second novel to appear in English by the bestselling Japanese author Mieko Kawakami is tauter and even more perceptive than its predecessor . . . Heaven is less than half the length and holds double the emotional force * New Statesman *For me this is a perfect novel, and one I know I will return to before long -- Megan Nolan, author of Acts of DesperationHeaven is a thoughtful novel about the value of the flaws that make us who we are * Literary Review *Short but assured. . .by the end, the reader is so dizzily absorbed in its visceral details and philosophical complexity that, when the twist comes, it hits you with a strange and unexpected force * Financial Times *Impeccably translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd, the book is full of masterly set pieces of violence, scenes of senseless bullying so lucid you can almost feel the pain yourself . . . * New York Times Book Review *Heaven is told with astonishing frankness and economy. It will cut through all your defences down to every layer of fear, isolation, hope and need you’ve ever felt . . . Mieko Kawakami is a genius -- Naoise DolanA raw, painful, and tender portrait of adolescent misery, reminiscent of both Elena Ferrante's fiction . . . I cannot, in good conscience, endorse it without a warning: This book is very likely to make you cry * NPR *Brilliant . . . This captivating, quietly devastating book is about the relationship between two school misfits. The same vulnerabilities that expose them to their tormentors allow them to see one another with a pure sort of attention -- Megan Nolan * New Statesman *In this horror film, oblivious authority figures walk on by as you grope for breath, wondering what it even means to be alive and free * Independent *Simple and profound, Heaven is an undeniable masterpiece -- Mitsuyoshi NumanoA poignant odyssey into the haunted caverns of adolescence . . . Kawakami writes with jagged, visceral beauty about those early antagonists we carry around in our heads, scars we bear into adulthood, ‘caught in the undertow’ of hormones and sorrow * Oprah Daily *Mieko Kawakami pulls from the all too familiar places we learn to accept as normal in our youth and gives them to us to reflect on as adults in a painful yet necessary way. Even if we could never learn the absolute truths behind humans' capacity for violence as well as empathy, we are certainly closer now with Heaven -- An Yu, author of Braised PorkKawakami unflinchingly takes the reader through the abyss of depraved, dehumanizing behavior with keen psychological insight, brilliant sensitivity, and compassionate understanding. With this, the author’s star continues to rise * Publishers Weekly *Mieko Kawakami has spun a poignant tale on the theme of bullying . . . Heaven is a tour de force * Tokyo Shimbun *Heaven covers new terrain, masterfully broadening the literary landscape * Yomiuri Shimbun *Kawakami has a unique knack for burrowing into discomfort, and she does it in a startlingly graceful way. Like her last novel—an unsparing treatise on the pressures of being a woman in male-dominated Japan—this book isn’t for the fainthearted. Told from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy in present-day Japan, Kawakami’s tale follows the volatile lives of two teenagers relentlessly bullied by their peers . . . An unexpected classic * Kirkus *Rises above the philosophical questions at its depths and delivers the reader to a devastating conclusion * Elle Japan *Kawakami’s powerful and unassuming novel explores horrific accounts of bullying in a Japanese school . . . Her sensitive, evocative storytelling sets her apart as an incredible literary talent * BookList *Kawakami is a writer who doesn’t shy away from hard truths and painful experiences, so Heaven will not be an easy read, but it’s guaranteed to be a rewarding one * The Japan Times *It is difficult to write young voices well: easy to forget how smart teenagers are, or to portray them in terms of what adults might wish for them. Mieko Kawakami, however, is adept at understanding their perspective and capturing the despair and intractability of those difficult years . . . As with Kawakami's previously translated work, Breasts and Eggs, this is an adroit novel of real feeling and insight from a writer who wants her readers to think for themselves -- Rónán Hession * Irish Times *Mesmerizing . . . Kawakami is a master of the interior voice. There is something about her prose that is so immediate and pressing it blocks out the future almost as if it were a threatening force. We are forced to deal with her characters as they are living now: alone, vulnerable, and unprotected * World Literature Today *These raw and realistic portrayals of bullying are counterbalanced by textured exposition of the philosophical and religious debates concerning violence to which the weak are subjected * Paperback Paris *Moving and intelligent. Kawakami gives us characters who speak to the heart and illustrate in one form or another the dilemma facing everyone in adolescence. Hopeful yet chilling in equal measures * American Booksellers Association *Heaven takes on the issue of bullying, and why a victim might choose not to fight back. Two teenagers bond over their torment, and their passive response reveals many kinds of societal injustice * Washington Post *This sharp new novel from Mieko Kawakami [is] a sucker-punch of a story that implores you to question even your own morality * Cosmopolitan *With grace and clarity, Kawakami explores destructive nature of adolescent violence, and the power of empathetic friendships * The Millions *How can a relationship really last when its foundation is built on shared experiences of humiliation? The author moves toward an answer in this quietly devastating tale of middle school drama * TIME *If you enjoyed Mieko Kawakami’s brilliant Breasts and Eggs, you’re certain to be astonished by her latest novel exploring violence and bullying with fierce, feminist and damning candor * Ms. Magazine *While Kawakami refuses to give us answers, the elegance and care with which she describes her characters’ lives invite the reader to ask such questions of themselves. This is not a cruel story, but rather one that understands hurt and pain for what it is: universal, unjust and material for new life * BookPage *Mieko Kawakami is the reigning queen of contemporary Japanese literature for good reason * Japan Times *Kawakami is taking the reader by the hand and guiding us through someone’s small, interior life as a method of contemplating wide-ranging, universal issues such as the body, ethics, and meaning * Bad Form Review *A poignant and unsettling look at what makes a friendship and, on a macro level, what makes an unequal society. Kawakami’s writing is meticulous and assured, and Heaven leaves a bruise * The Skinny *Exceptional -- David Hayden * White Review 'Books of the Year' *

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Book Synopsis'A taut, sharp, funny book about being young now. It's brutal—and brilliant.' - Zadie SmithWinner of the Dylan Thomas Prize Shortlisted for the British Book Awards Fiction Debut of the YearLonglisted for the Women's Prize For FictionEdie is just trying to survive. She’s messing up in her dead-end admin job in her all-white office, is sleeping with all the wrong men, and has failed at the only thing that meant anything to her, painting. No one seems to care that she doesn’t really know what she’s doing with her life beyond looking for her next hook-up.And then she meets Eric, a white middle-aged archivist with a suburban family, including a wife who has sort-of-agreed to an open marriage and an adopted black daughter who doesn’t have a single person in her life who can show her how to do her hair. As if navigating the constantly shifting landscape of sexual and racial politics as a young black woman wasn’t already hard enough, with nowhere else left to go, Edie finds herself falling head-first into Eric’s home and family.Razor-sharp, provocatively page-turning and surprisingly tender, Luster by Raven Leilani is a painfully funny debut about what it means to be young now.‘A book of pure fineness, exceptional.’ – Diana Evans, GuardianA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Guardian, New York Times, New Yorker, Boston Globe, Literary Hub, Vanity Fair, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, Time, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, NPR, O Magazine, Buzzfeed, Electric Literature, Town & Country, Wired, New Statesman, Vox, Shelf Awareness, i-D, BookPage and more.One of Barack Obama’s Favourite Books of the Year.Trade ReviewLeilani’s story of Edie, a broke 23-year-old black woman who gets involved with a wealthy older white couple, cuts to the quick of the often grim realities of being young and black in the US today. But it’s wincingly funny, too . . . Leilani’s prose mesmerises; you go with her, wherever she decides to take you . . . A remarkable portrait of the artist as a young woman. * Observer *[Leilani] is a caustic, funny and skilful storyteller, taking us deeply and convincingly inside the head of a millennial woman frantically trying to make sense of the world and her place within it. * Sunday Times *In this cutting, hot-blooded book, the entanglements that unfold are as complicated as they are heartbreaking. * New Statesman *With deadpan wit and remarkable talent, Raven Leilani effortlessly exposes the chasms between generations, faces and genders. * Vogue *A taut, sharp, funny book about being young now. It's brutal—and brilliant. -- Zadie Smith, author of Swing TimeLuster is entirely remarkable, and the most delicious novel I’ve read. I couldn’t get enough of Raven Leilani’s starkly accurate portrayal of the nuances of being a young woman today. -- Candice Carty-Williams, author of QueenieEvery so often, a debut novel so dazzling in its brilliance renders you unable to see the world in quite the same way for some time. Raven Leilani’s Luster illuminates the world anew, like a firework . . . it is truly a work of art. * i *A darkly funny, hilariously moving debut from a stunning new voice. Raven Leilani crafts a beautiful, bighearted story about intimacy and art that will astound and wound you. I couldn’t put this one down. -- Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing HalfI was blown away by this debut novel . . . Every sentence is a treat to read, even when it is plumbing the bleakest truths of society and humanity. It is political and emotional, tender and sharp, absurd and relatable, heartbreaking and funny. The writing is packed with sharp observations of the most eccentric human behaviour, all propelled with an addictively page-turning plot. It is exquisite. -- Dolly Alderton, author of GhostsWritten in cool prose as brittle as glass, Luster throws down the gauntlet to a politicised contemporary moment eager to see blazingly affirmative stories of black lives in literature . . . [Edie's] voice . . . is unforgettable. More novels like this please. * Daily Mail *This wild dark comedy is absolutely the real deal . . . Leilani’s live-wire sentences are a giddy joy, crafted with mischievous perfection and full of smart things to say on hot-button issues. * Mail on Sunday *You could stay in there all day, swathed in the magnificence of its language, the surprises of the sentences and their psychedelic, uncharted destinations . . . This is a book of pure fineness, exceptional. -- Diana Evans * Guardian *Raven Leilani is a writer of unusual daring, with a voice that is unique and fully formed. There is humor, intelligence, emotion, and power in her work. I cannot think of a writer better suited to capture our contemporary moment. -- Katie Kitamura, author of A SeparationLuster is ridiculously good: gorgeous, dark, and funny, with sentences that'll wreck you. I will follow this author anywhere she wants to take me. -- Carmen Maria Machado author of In the Dream HouseTension that keeps the reader hooked until the very last page . . . Leilani observes the dissatisfactions of Edie’s 21st-century life with a brutal and beautiful keenness. * Harper's Bazaar *The narrative voice of this startling novel is layered, complex, pitch-black comic, and deadly earnest, even ardent in its will to sift through the chaos and idiocy of our madhouse culture and find some glimpse of human reality. Raven Leilani has made a truly lustrous piece of art. -- Mary Gaitskill, author of This Is PleasureIf you like Normal People, you’ll love Luster . . . a squirm inducing marvel * Buzzfeed Books *Raven Leilani’s style is a truly original mix of the new and the wise, of wit and despair. She has poignantly captured the obsession that drives, and often destroys, every true artist. I adored Luster for its honesty and weird beauty. -- Sara Baume, author of Spill Simmer Falter WitherA beguiling fever dream of a novel, shot through with wistfulness, humor, and a kind of breathless, furious verve. You’ll find it impossible to put down. -- Ling Ma, author of SeveranceHilarious, honest, bursting with desire and cutting insight, Luster is absolutely captivating. I didn’t so much read it, as gulp it down. There’s so much to learn here, so much to admire. Leilani is an irreverent, impeccable stylist—a voice we need right now. -- Justin Torres, author of We the AnimalsA coming-of-age story that’s sure to keep you turning pages * Refinery29 *Spinning fresh commentary on both race and class, tensions in the house rise as Raven Leilani propels her lost protagonist on a darkly funny journey of self-discovery. * Time *Raw, racy, and utterly mesmerizing, Luster is among the most dazzling novels of the year, marking the arrival of a major new voice . . . Dreamlike, tender, and big-hearted, Luster is a must-read * Esquire *This book is luminous, glorious. From the first sentence I knew there was word-magic here and that I would read any sentence Leilani cares to write. What a marvel. -- Daisy Johnson, author of Everything UnderI adored this wry, vital, mesmeric novel. In glorious, exhilarating sentences, Leilani crafts a story that is both deeply moving and brimming with originality and insight. -- Megan Hunter, author of The HarpyLuster is a headlong carousel of a novel. With liquid prose and a painter's eye for colour, texture and light, Luster grapples vigorously with what it means to make art in a world pumping out racism-induced cortisol. -- Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting TimesLuster is as close to perfect a book as you’ll read this year. I promise you - Raven Leilani is about to become your new obsession. -- Louise O'Neill, author of Asking For ItA big, bold novel, visceral and unsettling, about a young Black woman desperate to find herself but looking in all the wrong places. * Red magazine *Brilliant in terms of voice, Luster is equally strong on plot and structure. In her leavening of cynicism with hope, Raven Leilani writes as if she were three books wise, at least. * TLS *

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