Internationally recognised art and literary critic, writer and cultural producer. Published in ELLE, Glamour, Esquire and Cosmopolitan; member of the Union of Writers.
The year 2023 has been a challenging and turbulent one, but also a rich and rewarding one for literature. From reimagining Orwell’s 1984 to the story of Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi, these are the books that have captivated, enlightened, and inspired us so far. Whether you are looking for a gripping thriller, a poignant memoir, or a thought-provoking essay, you will find something to suit your taste and mood in this list of the best books of the year so far.
The Fraud by Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith is one of the most acclaimed and versatile writers of our time, and her first historical novel is a stunning, well-studied examination of Victorian colonial England. The novel revolves around a real-life trial of a man claiming to be Sir Roger Tichborne, thought to have died at sea, and heir to a huge fortune. The trial is seen through the eyes of Eliza Touchet, with interludes depicting the life of Andrew Bogle, an older formerly enslaved man who is acting as a witness in the trial. The novel is exuberant, witty, and profound, exploring themes of identity, race, class, and power. The Guardian praises the novel as “boisterous, intelligent, and endlessly entertaining”.
North Woods by Daniel Mason
Daniel Mason is a doctor and a writer, and his sixth novel is a masterpiece of historical fiction that spans four centuries of history through a house and its inhabitants on a small patch of New England land. The novel is composed of 12 interlocking stories, each focusing on a different character and a different era, from the colonial period to the present day. The novel is a dazzling display of storytelling, blending history, science, art, and mystery. The New York Times calls the novel “eccentric and exhilarating”.
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
Paul Murray is best known for his acclaimed 2010 novel Skippy Dies, and his latest novel is a tragicomic triumph that centers on two well-to-do rural Irish families, whose unfolding calamities are paralleled in a slow-building ecological disaster. The novel is told from different family members’ points of view, with each perspective giving further insights and revelations. The novel is hilarious, heartbreaking, and haunting, capturing the absurdity and the tragedy of contemporary Ireland. The Observer describes the novel as “a wild ride of a book, full of wit, warmth, and wisdom”.
The Promise by Damon Galgut
This year’s winner of the Booker Prize is set in a dystopian Ireland that is edging into authoritarian rule after the extreme right National Alliance party seizes control. Soon, civil liberties are eroded, dissenters are silenced, and minorities are persecuted. The novel follows the lives of four siblings, who are bound by a promise made by their dying mother to give their black maid her rightful inheritance of a piece of land. The novel is a powerful and poignant portrait of a family and a nation in crisis, exploring themes of loyalty, betrayal, justice, and redemption. The Guardian hails the novel as “a masterpiece of compression and moral clarity”.
Drops of God by Agnieszka Pilat
Agnieszka Pilat is a Polish-born, San Francisco-based artist, who has created a stunning and innovative work of art that combines painting and artificial intelligence. The work consists of 12 large-scale portraits of robots, each representing a different wine and a different human emotion. The robots are equipped with sensors and cameras, and they can interact with the viewers and learn from them. The work is a fascinating exploration of the relationship between humans and machines, and the role of art and technology in our lives. Forbes praises the work as “a groundbreaking and visionary project that challenges our perception of art and reality”.
The Magician by Colm Tóibín
Colm Tóibín is one of the most celebrated and prolific writers of our time, and his latest novel is a magnificent and magisterial biography of Thomas Mann, the Nobel Prize-winning German author of The Magic Mountain and Death in Venice. The novel follows Mann’s life from his childhood in Lübeck to his exile in America, and his complex and conflicted relationships with his family, his lovers, and his country. The novel is a brilliant and intimate portrait of a literary genius, and a sweeping and insightful account of the cultural and political upheavals of the 20th Century. The New York Times calls the novel “a masterwork of biographical fiction”.
The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
Nathan Harris is a debut novelist, and his first novel is a stunning and moving story of two enslaved brothers who are freed by the Emancipation Proclamation at the end of the American Civil War, and their encounter with a grieving white couple who offer them shelter and work on their farm. The novel is a lyrical and compassionate exploration of the aftermath of slavery and war, and the bonds of friendship and love that can transcend the barriers of race, class, and gender. [The Washington Post] lauds the novel as “a remarkable achievement, a novel that speaks to our current moment through the long shadow of American history”.
The Startup Wife by Tahmima Anam
Tahmima Anam is a Bangladeshi-British writer, and her fourth novel is a witty and sharp satire of the tech industry and the cult of entrepreneurship. The novel follows Asha Ray, a brilliant coder and researcher, who falls in love with Cyrus Jones, a charismatic and mysterious social media star. Together, they create a platform called WAI, which uses Asha’s algorithm to create personalized rituals for users. Soon, WAI becomes a sensation, and Asha and Cyrus find themselves at the helm of a startup empire. But as WAI grows, Asha begins to lose control of her creation and her identity, and she must decide what she is willing to sacrifice for her dream. [The Guardian] praises the novel as “a smart and funny take on the modern world of tech, feminism, and relationships”.
The Performance by Claire Thomas
Claire Thomas is an Australian writer, and her second novel is a captivating and clever story of three women who attend a performance of Samuel Beckett’s play Happy Days at a Melbourne theatre, while a bushfire rages outside. The novel alternates between the perspectives of the three women, who are strangers to each other, but who share some common experiences and challenges. The novel is a subtle and insightful exploration of the lives of women, and the role of art and culture in times of crisis. [The Sydney Morning Herald] calls the novel “a beautifully crafted work of fiction”.
The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr
Robert Jones Jr is an American writer, and his debut novel is a powerful and poignant story of two enslaved men who fall in love on a plantation in the antebellum South. The novel is a lyrical and epic saga of love, oppression, resistance, and survival, and a testament to the resilience and dignity of the black queer experience. The novel is also a rich and complex portrait of the African diaspora, and the spiritual and cultural traditions that sustained it. [The New York Times] calls the novel “a singular and stunning debut”.
The Soul of a Woman by Isabel Allende
Isabel Allende is one of the most beloved and bestselling writers of our time, and her latest book is a memoir and a manifesto of her life as a feminist. The book is a candid and passionate reflection on her personal and professional journey, her relationships and marriages, her activism and advocacy, and her hopes and fears for the future of women and the world. The book is also a celebration of the power and beauty of the female spirit, and a call for action and solidarity. [The Guardian] describes the book as “a warm and friendly account of a remarkable life”.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah is an American writer, and her 24th novel is a sweeping and stirring story of a woman and her family who struggle to survive the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression in the 1930s. The novel follows Elsa Martinelli, a farmer’s wife and mother of two, who faces drought, starvation, and violence on her Texas farm, and decides to join the mass migration of Okies to California, in search of a better life. The novel is a gripping and emotional saga of courage, sacrifice, and resilience, and a tribute to the strength and spirit of women and mothers. [The Washington Post] calls the novel “a tour de force”.
