A very different type of read. ‘Sweeping’ is in this case a most apt description, covering nearly a century of the history of Koreans in Japan as seen through the eyes of one family. This was a topic I knew nothing about, as also I had no idea what pachinko was. I was totally engrossed following Sunja and her family as they navigate their way through the most dreadful of times to reach success, of sorts. It’s not a ‘can’t put down’ but the characters are very real and the tale beautifully told. Highly recommend.
* The million-copy bestseller* * National Book Award finalist * * One of the New York Times's 10 Best Books of 2017 * * Selected for Emma Watson's Our Shared Shelf book club *
'This is a captivating book... Min Jin Lee's novel takes us through four generations and each character's search for identity and success. It's a powerful story about resilience and compassion' BARACK OBAMA.
Yeongdo, Korea 1911. In a small fishing village on the banks of the East Sea, a club-footed, cleft-lipped man marries a fifteen-year-old girl. The couple have one child, their beloved daughter Sunja. When Sunja…
This is a laugh out loud as retired MI6 wetwork specialist (ie assassin), Dante, juggles his desire to stay body-count free against the threats mounting against those from whom he’s beginning to learn about friendship – a highly unusual state of affairs. And then there’s the cat – the rescue mission of the cat being one of the action-packed highlights of this pacy, bounce-along, couldn’t put it down murder mystery. Sweet young gardener Charlie is the top-of-the-list suspect in the murder. But he has Dante on his side, no-nonsense former art thief, Eleanor, and – most importantly - an array of local ghosts. Loved it, for the pure fun.
Dante has come to the small coastal town of Te Kohe, New Zealand, for a fresh start in life. But he doesn't want to open a BnB, or save a charming bookshop, or start a romance with a single mother in need of rescuing.He just wants to forget about his past career (which involved a lot of dead bodies) and have everyone leave him the heck alone. Unfortunately for Dante, life has other plans...
Another deeply researched and atmospheric Boyd novel – he’s amazing the way he transports you to the time and place. His usual cast of deeply flawed characters carry you along with their story. Set just before and during WW1, Lysander is a young man of his time, drifting through a genteel life, until he meets Hettie in Vienna. While Hettie cures him of the problem – the reason for which he went to Vienna initially, to seek psychoanalysis – the relationship leads him into the murky world of British espionage where he must use his considerable ingenuity to work out just what the hell is going on. Brilliant twists and turns, fantastic scene setting, and history to learn. Highly recommended.
From one of our most celebrated and imaginative writers comes a spellbinding novel about deception, betrayal, psychoanalysis, and the mysteries of the human heart. William Boyd follows his critically acclaimed novels A Good Man in Africa, Brazzaville Beach, and Ordinary Thunderstorms with a razor-sharp, incandescent thriller in Waiting for Sunrise. A provocative exploration of the line between consciousness and reality is nested within a tense, rollercoaster plotline following as a young English actor ensnared in a bewildering scandal with an enigmatic woman in early twentieth-century Vienna. Sophisticated, page-turning, and unforgettable, Boyd’s Waiting for Sunrise is a triumph of literary fiction…
Raine will risk everything to find love - even if it might not be there waiting.
"A captivating historical fiction tale of love, hope, struggle, and what it means to strive for happiness." Five star reader review
When Raine Merrett’s beloved Pop falls ill, her family is forced to leave the peaceful countryside for a migrant camp on the flat plains outside post WW2 Adelaide. Life in the cramped Nissen hut is harsh, but Raine tackles her hated new life with gritty persistence.
Teddy Greene, newly arrived in Australia from war-torn London, shares Raine’s struggles.
But when Teddy and his best friend Alf rescue Raine from a drunken attack, their heroism ignites a whirlwind of passion, uncertainty, and heartache.
Caught between the expectations of her times and her own desires, Raine's struggle to discover where her true path to happiness lies will test both her courage and her resilience.
Inspired by true events, Keepers is an emotionally charged story of love, abandonment and self-discovery.
"A beautifully crafted, emotionally gripping tale of love, resilience, and self-discovery. An unforgettable read!" Reader's House Magazine "A treat to savour." Discovering Diamonds
An Amazon Charts Bestseller Chill with a Book Premier Readers' Award Readers’ Favourite Five Stars
