MICROFICTION:
books
BOOK OF THE MONTH
THE YELLOW BIRDS
Kevin Powers( Sceptre) Based on the Iraq war, The Yellow Birds charts the story of Bartle and Murph, two soldiers who become friends, and Sterling, their slightly unhinged gung-ho sergeant. There’ s a great deal of lyrical beauty in this book, with a dreamlike atmosphere being conjured in the midst of great tragedy. It can be overdone, but it’ s also powerful and moving. The futility of war, of friendship, of promises, of life itself is beautifully drawn. And it’ s that tenderness that makes it such an important novel. The tenderness in the friendships, the tenderness in the way nature is used, the tenderness in the telling itself. I haven’ t read a book in one sitting for a long time but I did with this, and I was left with an ache for all the beauty we have been given and all we have done to destroy it. RHODRI JONES
AN ENGLISHMAN IN MADRID Eduardo Mendoza( MacLehose) Set in 1936 against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, Eduardo Mendoza’ s intriguing story follows the life of art historian Anthony Whitelands, a humorous and eccentric character who unintentionally finds himself involved in hidden political dealings in Madrid. A previous winner of the prestigious Planeta Prize, An Englishman In Madrid is an engaging comic story with an entertaining fast pace and intriguing mix of themes such as love, violence and friendship. RH
PERFECT Rachel Joyce( Doubleday) The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry was a tough act to follow, having won the hearts of many readers. Set in 1972 and the present day, Rachel Joyce’ s second novel is just as gentle and as moving. The stories of Byron and his best friend James and of the mysterious and lovable Jim come together in a finale which is both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. Perfect equals Harold Fry to ensure that fans will not be disappointed. CB
BLOOD MONTH William Vaughan( Y Lolfa) Blood Month is a thriller set in a boys’ boarding school where the widely disliked headmaster is found dead. The subsequent investigation reveals a dark side to the school, with allegations of sexual misconduct fuelling the sense of mystery. The plot retains a breakneck pace from start to finish as the hidden culture of jealousy and deceit is unfurled. Two police officers identify a number of possible suspects, but there are twists aplenty before the truth is finally uncovered. JD |
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BRIEF LOVES THAT LIVE FOREVER Andreï Makine( MacLehose) It’ s a terrible title – better suited to Tesco’ s bestseller chart than one of MacLehose’ s dinky hardbacks. If you’ ve got the balls to add it to your Goodreads shelf, you’ ll be rewarded with vignettes of love( or the lack thereof) in Soviet Russia. Makine’ s belief in love’ s transcendent power would be irritating if any of his characters actually experienced it: love is a dream, the book says, and it does more for the lover than the one on which it is bestowed. Light and poignant. MM |
THE RICE PAPER DIARIES Francesca Rhydderch( Seren) Set in both Hong Kong and West Wales during World War II, this is a highly emotive debut novel. Told from the perspective of Elsa, her husband Tommy, their daughter Mari and Chinese amah Lin, there’ s a silent undertone to be relished as relationships are tested, only adding to the overall atmospheric prose. Inspired by the experiences of the author’ s great-aunt, survival, betrayal and the impact of war are all explored in this compelling and moving story. RH |
WITCHES HATS AND PAINTED CHARIOTS Ed. Jon‘ Mojo’ Mills( Shindig!) Presented as a spined magazine, the section in which you’ ll probably find it in WH Smith, there’ s a small book’ s worth of info and ruminations on tumultuous Anglo-Scottish hippy collective The Incredible String Band herein. Their albums – mad flights of fancy which just happened to deteriorate after the group‘ got’ Scientology – are assessed with no rose specs, and other acid-folk icons like Comus, COB and The Wicker Man are also given max respect. NG |
MICROFICTION:
THE RICE PAPER DIARIES by FRANCESCA RHYDDERCH
BUZZ 44
I was up on the roof terrace hanging out the washing when the bombing started. Although I had wrung the sheets out by winding them tight, they were still heavy with water and awkward to pull up onto the line without letting the other end drag on the dusty tiles underfoot. The early morning sky was misty above Victoria, and over in Kowloon the rows of windows along the wharf glinted in the sun. At the bottom of the hill was the race course, grass rippling like a green lake. The first thing I heard was the drone of aeroplanes. I turned round to look, but my hands were full of damp linen so I couldn’ t shade my eyes and had to scrunch them up against the sun. Flying in over the Peak like squat, gorged mosquitoes were six planes, so low I could see the burning red circles painted on their sides. As they flew over the apartment their undercarriages started to open. They must have been about halfway down the hill when they released their load. The first bomb fell on the cemetery on Ko Chiu Road, and the earth opened up like a flower, sending out a shower-burst of chipped slabs, metal vases, bits of wood and
incense sticks. After that there was another boom, and another, more smoke and debris floating up through the wooded hill that separated us from the rest of the city. I ran down the steps from the roof and through the apartment, pegs snapping against the linoleum as they scattered all around me, a bundle of washing still in my arms. I ran to Mrs Elsa’ s dressing room, where she was sitting at her mirror doing her hair. She was still in her negligee, covered up by a house coat wrapped around her middle with one of her elegant sashes.“ Hide!” she said.
The Rice Paper Diaries by Francesca Rhydderch is published by Seren, and is available in all good book shops and online(£ 8.99) at www. serenbooks. com