Books

Some books I enjoyed:

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, Viking (Penguin).

Five women and a man meet once a month to discuss Jane Austen's novels. Each chapter focuses on one of the six characters, one of the six months, and one of the six novels. The story is told, with good effect, in the first person plural. This isn't a reworking of Austen's material, but a novel about the experience of reading (bound to interest the reader!). Familiarity with Jane Austen is not necessary – all the novels are summarised in the appendix, which is as witty, playful and interesting as the rest of the book.

Saturday by Ian McEwan, Jonathan Cape.

The latest Ian McEwan novel takes place in London on Saturday 15 February 2003, the day of the march against the war on Iraq. McEwan shows how even desirable lives – the protagonist, brain surgeon Henry Perowne, enjoys his work, loves his wife, and has warm and gifted children – cannot be completely insulated and protected from global concerns and outside threats. A question "Saturday" raises is whether literature is dispensable: Perowne is not interested in fiction – he is fascinated by reality and the challenge of understanding it through science – but literature will play an important role in the story.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Faber & Faber.

I'm not going to tell you what this book is about, because one of the pleasures of reading it is figuring out, bit by bit, what's going on – much as the characters themselves do, as they grow up. What I can say is that it takes place in England, in the late 90s, but that it's soon obvious this isn't the 90s England we are familiar with. The intricate world created by Ishiguro is impressive and the story is immediately absorbing and emotionally powerful. I enjoyed the contrast between the calm voice of the narrator and my increasing uneasiness as the pieces of the puzzle started to come together.

Best Way You Know How by Christine Pountney, Faber & Faber.

Ambitious, independent Hanna moves to London and meets Daniel. The novel starts on the day of their marriage, which they intend to be "the protection of two solitudes". Hanna, however, finds it difficult to give up the potential of singlehood. The reality of her marriage to Daniel is not enough to justify the compromises it entails. "The Best Way You Know How" does a good job of capturing relationship problems that are particularly common in modern times. It does not offer solutions, which is welcome, as solutions are often simplistic and patronising. It does mean it's a downbeat read though.