This week's bookcase includes reviews of Truly, Madly, Guilty by Liane Moriarty, Nina Is Not OK by Shappi Khorsandi and Release The Bats: Writing Your Way Out Of It by DBC Pierre.
Truly, Madly, Guilty
Liane Moriarty
The Australian author of the international bestselling books The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies (which is set to become an HBO TV series in the US), is back with her latest domestic thriller. This time the story explores the repercussions of a middle-class neighbourhood barbecue in Sydney with a group of couples and their children, which goes hideously wrong. What actually occurred on that fateful day emerges through glimpses of the characters both before and after the catastrophic event, as they cope, or struggle to cope with what happened. As always, Moriarty takes us on an emotional roller coaster of a journey, leaving the reader desperate for answers. Moriarty's skill is in the way she paints her characters; they are seemingly very ordinary and real, but as the narrative unravels, we see the complex nature of people and their impulses. If you are looking for a book to devour from cover to cover this summer, this is it!
Do Not Say We Have Nothing
Madeleine Thien
Thien's third novel is a deeply profound and moving tale where music, mathematics and family history are beautifully woven together in a poetic story. Opening at the end, the narrative jumps forwards and backwards continually, starting in 1989 in both Hong Kong and Vancouver. Thien explains how two sisters survived the coming of the Red Guard, the drama of Tiananmen Square and aggressive land reforms. A master storyteller, Thien moves on to describe the enigmatic Sparrow, a genius classical music composer, his otherworldly cousin Zhuli and his obstinate and gifted best friend Kai. In the modern day, Kai's daughter Marie is the ever-questioning mathematician who is desperately repairing the story of her splintered family. Full of wisdom and complexity, comedy and beauty, Thien has delivered a novel that is both hugely political and severe, but at the same time delicate and intimate, rooted in the tumultuous history of China.
Nina Is Not OK
Shappi Khorsandi
Although Khorsandi is best known for her comedy chops, her debut fiction novel Nina Is Not OK is a gritty and realistic portrayal of a 17-year-old girl's spiral into alcoholism. That's not to say it's without laugh-out-loud moments, but it's also an unflinching and painfully honest book that explores alcohol abuse, depression, the view of women in society and sexual consent. Written entirely from Nina's perspective, stand-up comic Shappi perfectly captures the minutiae of teenage life, especially in terms of the language of the characters and the depiction of the problems that young people today face. Nina is not always a likeable character and her self-destructive tendencies mean she often makes very frustrating choices. But that just adds weight and realism to a story that feels very timely, especially in the wake of the highly-publicised Stanford rape case. Nina Is Not OK is a powerful book and a cautionary tale, but it's also a touching celebration of human determination in the overcoming of adversity.
The Couple Next Door
Shari Lapena
Billed as the new Paula Hawkins, Lapena's debut deals with every parent's nightmare - their child being taken. The fast-paced psychological thriller follows Anne and Marco Conti, who discover their six-month old daughter has been kidnapped whilst they attend their childless neighbours' dinner party. But the story is far from simple. Full of twists and turns, secrets and lies, we are introduced to a small bunch of characters and soon learn that any of them are capable of committing the crime - including the parents. Although the kidnapper is revealed in the first half of the book, the second half is just as gripping, going from who did it to how and why. This book is perfect as a quick read and for those who love to play detective, leaving readers with the ultimate question, how well do you really know someone?
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