Flesh by David Szalay
Istvan embarks on a life shaped by desire, status and betrayal, moving from a rural Hungarian childhood to a decadent, alienating adulthood in London. His relationships with power and intimacy unravel against a backdrop of wealth and moral decay.
They say: ‘A masterpiece, told with virtuosic economy… pure brilliance from the first to the (devastating) last sentence.’ (India Knight)
The Land In Winter by Andrew Miller
During the freezing cold winter of 1962, two young married couples in rural Somerset face personal and moral crises amid a blizzard and shifting social norms. Betrayals, pregnancies and class tensions collide in a beautifully wrought tale.
They say: ‘Miller may have written his best book yet… brilliance that is not to be missed.’ (The Guardian)
The Rest Of Our Lives by Ben Markovits
After dropping off his daughter at university, a disillusioned law professor refuses to return home, instead opting for a cross-country road trip. His journey becomes a meditation on marriage, regret and the longing for escape.
They say: ‘It’s quietly enthralling and full of the small epiphanies that more maximalist writers wouldn’t deem worthy of notice.’ (The Spectator)
Audition by Katie Kitamura
A theatre actress in New York meets a younger man claiming to be her son. Though she insists that it cannot be possible, she allows their relationship to deepen and, as it does, two contradictory narratives emerge, each rewriting their identities and truths.
They say: ‘A thrillingly radical deconstruction of family relationships and the social roles we play.’ (The Guardian)
The Loneliness Of Sonia And Sunny by Kiran Desai
Sonia, a writer, and Sunny, an expatriate, navigate familial and romantic entanglements across India, the US and Europe. Their intersecting lives trace the themes of identity, ambition and the emotional cost of dislocation.
They say: ‘Not so much a novel as a marvel.’ (The New York Times)
Flashlight by Susan Choi
Ten-year-old Louisa is found washed ashore after her father vanishes during a night walk, triggering a multigenerational search for meaning. The story spans decades and continents, as it explores memory, displacement and family secrets.
They say: ‘Flashlight is all kinds of big: capacious of intent and scope and language and swagger… domestically sprawling, geopolitically bold.’ (The Guardian)
