What we're reading: Magee, Myint, St. John Mandel
Each week our wonderful staff share the books that they've been enjoying.
Joanna is reading Close to Home by Michael Magee
A novel from a new Irish novelist always gets my attention and I’m so glad I picked up a copy of Close to Home by Michael Magee. It’s the story of Sean, who returns home to Belfast after attending university in Liverpool. He falls into old habits and a violent act threatens to derail him further. There’s trauma in his family’s history, and of course the bloody trauma of the Troubles – no longer raging on Belfast’s streets, it still reverberates on every corner of the city he revisits.
If that all sounds very bleak, it’s not. This is a warm, compassionate and humorous coming-of-age story, but above all else, it’s boldly honest about broken promises and how deep and warping the scars of recent history are. A stunning debut.
Nelson is reading Fragile Creatures by Khin Myint
Fragile Creatures is written with amazing insight and is a fascinating meditation on bullying, racism, family dynamics and masculinity.
Myint’s curiosity and deep humanity stave off bitterness and easy answers. His emotional intelligence and compassion make the bullying element of the story as much about the perpetrator’s vulnerabilities as his own. When writing about his sister’s debilitating illness, he not only ruminates on the cause, but what happens when members of a family and doctors disagree about a diagnosis and treatment. There’s also a bizarre tale about his involvement in a court case in America that’s both gripping and disturbing.
He doesn’t just tell a great heart-felt story, but deftly and ever-so-lightly weaves in insights from scientific, medical and psychological research. This gives the book a rare depth, way beyond what we usually expect from a memoir. I have no doubt it’ll be in my top ten list at the end of the year.
Lian is reading Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I was a bit shamefaced to discover that I'd only read four of the New York Times's 100 Best Books of the 21st century, and it provided the perfect impetus to finally pick up a copy of Station Eleven. Placing at #93 on the NYT list, Emily St John Mandel's post-apocalyptic novel is about a troupe of Shakespearean performers travelling through a post-industrial wilderness, 20 years after a deadly flu wiped out 99% of humanity.
Described by many as being 'cosy', Station Eleven saw a massive resurgence in popularity during the covid pandemic (for obvious reasons). It's an engrossing, moving tribute to community, regret, survival, and the importance of the Arts in maintaining our history and humanity.
